Infant Hurt in Fire Sparked by Candle
A candle left burning in a Long Beach apartment without electricity sparked a fire early Thursday that left a 15-month- old girl seriously hurt. Power had been cut to the apartment because of unpaid utility bills, authorities said.
The injured girl, Jasmine Scoggins, suffered second-degree burns and smoke inhalation and was hospitalized at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. Her mother, Patricia Williams, 33, also suffered minor burns. Bystanders said that Williams rescued her daughter.
Fire spokesman Robert Caldon said the blaze, reported about 4 a.m., gutted the apartment, causing about $25,000 in damage. Investigators believe the fire was caused by a candle left burning by Williams, Caldon said.
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