Child may have started fire in NW Houston home ...

by KHOU.com staff
khou.com

HFD: Child found hiding in burning home was playing with lighter on couch
HOUSTON – Investigators are trying to determine if an 5-year-old boy accidentally started a house fire in northwest Houston Tuesday morning before he panicked and hid, according to the Houston Fire Department.
HFD responded to an emergency call at a home on East 43rd Street and Arlington around 9 a.m.

A father standing outside the home when firefighters arrived told them he could not find his son.

Firefighters went inside and found a couch on fire. They extinguished the flames, then searched for the missing child.

The boy was found hiding behind a recliner and was brought to safety. He was crying, but was not harmed. He was transported to the hospital as a precaution.
Investigators said the child may have had something to do with the fire.
“We’re assuming the kid might have started it, but at this time it is under investigation,” said District Chief Thomas Ponce.

Chief Ponce said the child did what most children do when they are faced with danger.
“He immediately hid and was very scared, that is what they do. They hide right away,” Chief Ponce said.

The child's aunt said he may have been standing too close to a space heater while wrapped in a blanket.

"You know how they play with the blanket and stuff and it (the fire) probably caught onto the blanket and he didn’t know what to do," Margo Jordan said.
Officials said parents should teach children to do the opposite in the event of a fire. Children should be taught to never hide indoors; they should immediately search for a clear exit. They should be taught the key word is “outside” in the event of a fire.

Parents should have regular drills at home and help children find routes to safety. They should also should be shown the "red alert" spots, or the places they should never go: under the bed, in the closet or any rooms where there are no windows.
Children should also know where fire extinguishers are located and should be able to recognize the sound of a smoke detector. They should also know the outdoor rendezvous spots if the family is separated.