December 4, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Afternoon Fire Damages Cedar Grove Home

Four-year-old tries to extinguish blaze with water before firefighters arrive

A brave four-year-old tried in vain to extinguish a fire in his Cedar Grove home this afternoon that officials believe was started by a space heater. Little Kevin Shivers told fire investigators that he saw the fire in one of the bedrooms of the home and went to the bathroom to get some water to put it out. His efforts were unsuccessful and he retreated to the front porch of the home at 444 E. 67^th Street where he was seen by a neighborhood friend. The boy’s mother, Jacqueline Shivers, 31, told officials that she had left Kevin in the care of the friend to run an errand.

Kevin’s story may be a bit hard to believe but after the fire was contained to the bedroom by the quick actions of firefighters, the water in the bathroom used to try and put out the fire was still running, just like the toddler had said. Fire investigators have determined that the space heater in the room that caught fire was placed too close to a bed, approximately 10 inches to a foot, igniting the covers. Fire damage to that room was listed as heavy with the entire structure receiving smoke damage.

Each year 85% of all fires that injure or kill children are residential fires. Heating elements rank third nationally, behind cooking and careless smoking, as the leading cause of children’s injuries and deaths resulting from fires. The Shreveport Fire Department cautions parents to never leave your small child unattended, even for a moment, in a home or room where open flame is present. ###