Boy left alone sets fire to Olney house

Left home alone Monday afternoon, a 3-year-old boy began playing - with matches - and set his Olney house on fire, according to police and fire officials.

The boy was in the care of his 17-year-old sister, but she left for about 15 minutes to go pick up another sibling at day camp, police said.

Shortly after 3 p.m., smoke began spilling from the third floor of the house, on 3rd Street near Ruscomb, and firefighters were called to the scene.

Upon entering the building, they found the child alone in a third-floor middle bedroom and the fire in a third-floor room in the front of the building, Executive Fire Chief Daniel Williams said.

The boy was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, where he was listed yesterday in stable condition.

"The mother came to the scene and thanked the firefighters and even kissed one of them," Williams said.

The fire marshal determined that the child caused the blaze by playing with matches, Williams said. Two working smoke alarms were found inside the home.

Police said that there is an ongoing joint investigation between the department's Special Victims Unit and the fire marshal and that no charges had been filed as of yesterday.