Brush Fire Blamed on Boys Playing With Lighter
A brush fire that burned less than 10 acres Tuesday and threatened some homes near the Glendale Freeway was started by two boys playing with a cigarette lighter, officials said Wednesday.
“I think that they were interested in (playing with) fire, but I don’t think they were interested in causing a (large) fire,” Glendale Fire Battalion Chief Mike Carter said. “It was something that got away from them.”
No charges will be filed against the two Glendale boys, ages 7 and 9, who admitted setting the blaze that started at 5:06 p.m. and was contained by 7 p.m.
Both boys have been recommended to attend a free counseling program about the dangers of playing with fire, Carter said.
Tuesday’s blaze occurred on a hill southeast of the Oakmont Country Club. Although no homes were damaged, flames at times threatened houses along Los Encinos Avenue and Allanjay Place.
A Glendale firefighter and two county firefighting crew members sustained minor injuries. A total of 175 firefighters from the Los Angeles County, Burbank, Pasadena and Glendale fire departments responded to the blaze.
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