LIGHTER CAUSED FATAL FIRE
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 -- 10:46 AM
It appears a deadly fire in rural Willard was the result of children playing with a lighter.Neillsville fire chief Matt Meyer says interviews conducted by law enforcement personnel and the chronology of events have led the State Fire Marshal to rule the blaze started when two children, ages 7 and 10 started some clothing on fire.
Meyer says the children took the lighter from their grandfather's pants' pocket.
The fire started in a room just outside the room where the two victims, ages 1 and three, were trapped.
It appears the two older children, realizing the situation was getting out of control, tried first to douse the fire with a glass of water.
Relatives could not save 1-year-old Lattie and 3-year-old Quinta Frenn.
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