Duplex Fire Injures 8-Day-Old Baby

An 8-day-old baby was hospitalized with possible smoke inhalation Saturday after fire gutted a duplex on West Knox. The fire broke out shortly before 8 a.m. on the second floor of a duplex at 1118 W. Knox, city fire officials reported.

The baby’s 3-year-old sister apparently started the blaze while playing with a cigarette lighter, fire Capt. Kenneth Wiedmer said.

The apartment sustained substantial damage from fire, smoke and water, Wiedmer said.

The baby, whose gender was not known, was taken to Deaconess Medical Center after exhibiting symptoms of inhaling smoke, Wiedmer said.

“The people who worked on the baby told me the child was acting lethargic,” Wiedmer said. “It doesn’t take a lot of smoke to affect an infant that young.”

The 3-year-old and the children’s father, who was home at the time of the fire, were not hurt.

, DataTimes