Tragic Maine House Fire Caused by Sparklers Lit Inside

For decades, parents across the country have allowed their children to play with sparklers.  For many people, they are the only type of fireworks that we are allowed to legally use.

My parents allowed me to use them, but they kept a close eye on me as I waived that sparking stick around.  They recognized that even though there was little chance of me getting burned, there was a slim chance that I could hurt myself or ignite a catastrophic fire.

Sadly, this was proven in a Monday incident in Fort Kent, Maine.

According to an article on the Bangor Daily News website, firefighters were dispatched to a house fire on Brookside Drive just before 1:30 on Monday afternoon.

The fire was reportedly caused by children playing with sparklers inside.

There were two adults and three children at home when the fire started.  All of the people made it out safely, but two dogs and a cat passed away in the blaze.  When they arrived on the scene, firefighters attempted to rescue the family’s pets, but the home was reportedly cluttered and tough to navigate.  As a result, the firefighters were unable to rescue the pets.

About two dozen firefighters from Fort Kent, Eagle Lake, and Frenchville responded to the blaze.  It took two hours to put out the fire.  By that time, the home was a complete loss.

Our thoughts go out to the family during this difficult time.

Officials warn that sparklers are meant to be used outside.  You should never light any type of fireworks inside.