Chattanooga boy faces arson charges after setting his home on fire

Friday, July 1, 2011

photo An 8-year-old boy was charged with aggravated arson after setting his family's home on fire with a cigarette lighter, damaging a bedroom and leaving the Kirby Avenue house uninhabitable.

An 8-year-old boy was charged with aggravated arson after setting his family's home on fire with a cigarette lighter, damaging a bedroom and leaving the Kirby Avenue house uninhabitable.

Ummina Cooper, the 8-year-old's mother, told fire officials she was doing housework when her sister knocked on the door and told her the house was on fire around 12:34 p.m. today.

When firefighters responded they saw flames shooting out a bedroom window. As they attacked the fire, an electrical supply line burned loose and fell across the truck, endangering the firefighters.

An EPB crew disconnected the power and the firefighters extinguished the blaze. No one was injured and though the fire was contained to the bedroom there was smoke damage throughout the house.

The family is receiving temporary food, clothing and shelter from the Red Cross as they recover from the blaze.