A home on Tucson's southside was destroyed in a fire Monday morning, started by the homeowners' 5-year-old grandson playing with matches, officials said.
Shortly before 8 a.m., Tucson firefighters were dispatched to a home engulfed in flames in the 100 block of East Los Reales Road, said Capt. Andy Skaggs, a Tucson Fire Department spokesman.
The homeowners' grandson alerted her to smoke in the bedroom and the woman made a quick attempt to put out the fire in the closet before grabbing the child and exiting the home, Skaggs said.
The first crew arrived at the scene in less than 10 minutes and additional crews cut a vent in the roof above the bedroom on fire to allow smoke to escape, before additional crews attempted to extinguish the fire inside the home. Ten units and 23 firefighters were able to bring the fire under control 12 minutes after arriving with no injuries reported to occupants or firefighters, Skaggs said.
People are also reading…
The homeowners, who are in their mid-60s, and their grandson will be staying with family and accepting assistance from the Red Cross, Skaggs said.
The fire has been deemed accidental, after investigators learned that the child became curious when he discovered matches in the closet and started a fire, Skaggs said.
TFD public educators have made contact with the child and his family and have set up a follow-up appointment, Skaggs said.
A damage estimate has not yet been determined.
