Child playing with matches ignites Hernando County house fire, 4 people and 3 pets displaced: HCFR
Courtesy: Hernando County Fire Rescue
NORTH WEEKI WACHEE, Fla. - Hernando County Fire Rescue says a child playing with matches caused a house to ignite into flames Saturday, leaving four people and three pets displaced from the home.
The backstory:
According to HCFR, fire crews responded shortly before 9 a.m. to the house fire in the 7400 block of Madrid Road, north of Weeki Wachee.
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Firefighters arrived at the scene, where officials say smoke was reportedly coming from a window on the side of the home.
Courtesy: Hernando County Fire Rescue
Crews quickly extinguished the fire inside a bedroom, HCFR said.
Officials say the four people inside and the three pets were able to get out of the home safely before firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported.
What's next:
The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.
Courtesy: Hernando County Fire Rescue
What they're saying:
HCFR says families should keep matches, lighters and other fire-starting devices out of the reach of children and parents should educate them about fire safety. Officials also stress the importance of having working smoke detectors installed in homes to help alert residents in case of a fire.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Hernando County Fire Rescue.