Bedroom Fire Causes $30,000 Damage

By Andrew Gorosko

A small child playing with a barbecue lighter started a house fire in Hawleyville April 27 which caused an estimated $30,000 in property damage, according to Fire Marshal George Lockwood.

Jordan Lillis, 3, of 5 Patricia Lane took the barbecue lighter from the kitchen and went into a bedroom, locking the door behind him, according to the fire marshal.

In playing with the device, he started a fire in the bedroom and then left. His mother, Robin Smith, realized there was fire and threw a potful of water on it, trying to extinguish the blaze, but couldn’t, after which she called 911 to report the fire.

Coincidentally, neighbor John Modzelewski of 8 Patricia Lane was on the telephone with the town’s animal control department. The animal control worker, who heard the fire call on fire radio, mentioned to Mr Modzelewski that there was a fire call in his neighborhood.

Mr Modzelewski left his house and went to Ms Smith’s nearby house before firefighters had arrived. Checking out the situation, he got a garden hose and attempted to put out the blaze but could not extinguish it, Mr Modzelewski explained.

At that point, the mattress on the bed was completely engulfed in flames, he said.

He then left the building, shutting the bedroom door behind him to contain the flames.

Firefighters from Hawleyville and Newtown Hook and Ladder then arrived at the scene of the 11:09 am fire call. Dodgingtown and Sandy Hook firefighters were later dispatched.

Patricia Lane, a quiet side street off Farrell Road, appeared to be a sea of red fire trucks.

Firefighters quickly entered the building and put out the blaze, which had been burning between 10 and 15 minutes, Mr Lockwood said.

As firemen carried furniture out of the house, the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps provided first aid to Mr Modzelewski, who had inhaled smoke in attempting to put out the fire. Mr Lockwood said Mr Modzelewski had a minor case of smoke inhalation.

Mr Lockwood said Mr Modzelewski’s quick thinking prevented more extensive damage from occurring.

Fire gutted the bedroom and caused extensive heat and smoke damage to the house, the fire marshal said. After the house interior is cleaned, it will be habitable, he said. Ms Smith lives there with her son, Jordan, and her father.

Mr Lockwood said he is investigating the case with police Detective Sergeant Henry Stormer, who is a deputy fire marshal.