Boy sets fire, damages North Erie residence

4/10/2003

A 5-year-old boy playing with a lighter yesterday started a fire that caused about $20,000 damage to a two-story house at 1972 North Erie St., Toledo fire Investigator Dale Pelz said.

The boy set fire to underwear in a rear sitting room in an apartment on the first floor just before noon. The boy then got his grandmother, Tammy Miller, 45, who was watching him in her apartment. When Ms. Miller saw the fire, she and the boy fled, Mr. Pelz said.

A dog died in the fire. Smoke detectors in the house, owned by Brian and Pamela Byrd, of Toledo, worked properly.