TMP Reports
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 3:12 pm

An elementary school student playing with a lighter accidentally ignited a mattress that caused $40,000 damage to his Christiana home Monday, a sheriff’s corporal reported Wednesday.

Fire spread from the bedroom throughout the second floor of the home owned by Angela D. Widener of Sundance Court, Cpl. Joe Duncan reported. The boy, his father and grandfather were home when the fire ignited and escaped injury.

“The house was severely damaged by the fire but firefighters were able to extinguish the fire before it completely destroyed the house,” Duncan said.

Major damage upstairs included fire and smoke damage with moderate damage on the lower level.

Detective Randy Groce is investigating.