Child playing with lighter causes Kent apartment fire; nobody injured


June 15, 2011 · 11:33 AM

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A preschool-age child playing with a lighter caused a Kent apartment fire at about 8:35 a.m. Wednesday in the 27400 block of 129th Place Southeast, according to a Kent Fire Department media release.

No one was injured in the fire, but 11 people were displaced from the two-story building at the Birch Creek Apartments.

Firefighters contained the fire to the second-story bedroom where the fire started. A sprinkler system helped limit the spread of the fire. The sprinkler system caused a small amount of water damage to both stories of the building.

The apartment complex is managed by the King County Housing Authority. The complex manager is working with Red Cross to find housing for the two families that have been displaced by the fire.

Because most of the damage was caused by the sprinkler system and not the fire, both families hope to return to their homes within the next few days.

Red Cross officials said they were providing assistance to two adults and eight children. The assistance includes shelter, food, clothing and other immediate needs.


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