San Diego

A small grass fire that may have been started by children playing with matches threatened several houses and burned about 4 acres before about 70 firefighters brought it under control, authorities said.

No one was hurt in the Tuesday fire, and the only structures that were partly damaged were some temporary wooden shelters built by children, San Diego Fire Department Capt. Al MacDonald said.

Firefighters responded at 2:11 p.m. to a blaze in the 400 block of 69th Street in San Diego and had the fire under control about 3:15 p.m., MacDonald said.

At one time, the fire was headed southeast, threatening nearby houses, he said.

Witnesses said they suspect the fire was started by children playing with matches, MacDonald said, but the cause of the fire was still being investigated.