LA fire started by boy with matches

AP via Yahoo News ^

[Santa Fe_Conservative]

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - A boy playing with matches started a fire in north Los Angeles County that consumed more than 38,000 acres and destroyed 21 homes last week, authorities said Tuesday. Sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said she did not know the boy's exact age, but she believed he was younger than a teenager.

The boy, whose name and age were not released, was interviewed a day after the Buckweed Fire was sparked Oct. 21, said sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht.

"He admitted to playing with matches and accidentally starting the fire," said Hecht said in a statement.

The boy was released to his parents, and the case will be be presented to the district attorney's office, Hecht said.

The 60-square-mile fire began in an area near Agua Dulce and quickly spread by fierce desert winds. It was among more than a dozen major wildfires that killed 14 people and blackened 809 square miles from Los Angeles to the Mexican border.

Authorities arrested five people for arson during that period, but none have been linked to any of the major blazes.

[Right Wing Assault]

I sure would like to know his age

If his name is an Mohammed or if he is an illegal from Mexico, the child is 18. Otherwise, he is probably 12.

[Right Wing Assault]

man o man, it was close a couple of times

Been there! I also knew a kid who was playing with gas and matches in the garage. Burned the sucker down along with his dad's perfectly restored Model T. That rusted hulk sat out on the street for a few weeks covered with snow. Sad. Still have a pic somewhere.

[PeteB570]

Not when the press finds out he has a 5th cousin that works for Blackwater.

Blackwater must have given him the matches.

[Coldwater Creek]

Big families have such wonderful memories!

[Coldwater Creek]

In my town (Memphis) a black man set fire to his girlfriend’s apt. on Sunday night because he was mad at her.

Killed her four year old.

Yes illegals have to be dealt with, but, it gets old blaming them with every crime, every day.

[Proverbs 3-5]

fire started by boy with matches

I'll bet he wets his bed!!

[wolfcreek]

Local news reporting the boy was 5 yrs old.

[wolfcreek]

Better lock up those pesky magnifying glasses. I used them for everything from lighting cigarette butts, to melting plastic models (deathray from space) to setting off gunpowder from shotgun shells.

[Bookwoman]

There is NO WAY you can lock everything up from kids, particularly once they start school. They go to friends’ houses, their friends bring stuff to school. Even when they are little, you can’t keep an eye on them every moment. What are you going to do, lock them in an empty closet when you go to the bathroom?

You are right - our job is to train them and teach them right, wrong, and consequences. Then pray, because some kids take longer to learn than others.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

How many kids have played with matches? Most of us at one time or another I would assume. What happened is horrible, but an accident nonetheless.

As the saying goes:

There but by the grace of God go I.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

I’d much rather live in your neighborhood than racing fan’s.

[ican'tbelieveit]

You can’t lock all dangerous items up and expect kids to not be curious; especially if you decide to lock up stuff rather than deal with the issue of why it is dangerous and locked up.

[ican'tbelieveit]

Yes, thank you for adding the prayer. Even atheists must pray when it comes to their kids...

[sit-rep]

It happens often. Many kids play with lighters and matches. My niece almost burned my sister’s house down.

This kid just happen to be in a “heavily fueled” area.

All kids play. Just some are unlucky enough to see the full force of the fire triangle theory...

[RightWingRustler]

I believe they are saying he was 12.

[Ditter]

How awful for you and your whole family. I was told that my grandmother burned her house down while ironing. I was told this story when I went out after leaving the iron sitting on the wooden ironing board and it burned through and fell to the floor. When I found my 4-5 year old son playing with matches, I gave him the lecture then we went out side and I let him build a small fire. We gathered small sticks and leaves and I let him strike the match. We sat by the fire while I explained if he played with matches he would burn our house down and everything, even his toys would be gone. He felt the heat and saw all the sticks disappear, apparently he was satisfied and never played with matches again.

I guess it could have gone the other way and he could have become a pyromaniac.

[DrewsDad]

More posters HERE

[Disturbin]

Think of ALL of the carbon emissions. I hope he can afford the credits .....

[Disturbin]

A boy playing with matches started a fire ... that destroyed 21 homes

[Conscience of a Conservative]

I quite agree. however, when dealing with the WILDLY less-than-honest LBM (that's LameBrain Media, for those in Rio Linda), it's invariably correct to assume that, if the LBM do not identify the perp clearly, then the perp is -- in the case of Calbania -- Hispanic.

While this is usually true, the story here is about a child. Juvenile offenders are almost never identified, regardless of their race/national origin/religion.