A Saturday apartment fire at Limestone Courts was caused by children playing with a lighter they found near their home, according to an official report at the Gaffney Fire Department.

The 11:53 a.m. fire was contained to the apartment being rented by Shermeka Jefferies of Apt. D-15, 940 N. Limestone St., Gaffney. Jefferies lives in the apartment with her four children, ages 11, 6, 5, and 2. Her uncle was watching the three youngest children while she ran an errand and worked Saturday.

Fire investigator Nathan Ellis determined that a pile of clothing lying on the floor of the 5-year-old girl’s bedroom was accidentally ignited when two children were playing with a lighter they found outside. The fire spread to bedding materials and the child’s mattress. There was heavy damage inside the bedroom and heat, smoke and water damage throughout the rest of the apartment.

Ellis reminded parents to talk to their children about the danger of fire and playing with matches and lighters.

“A child’s curiosity is almost always aroused by matches, lighters and other sources of fire,” Ellis said. “Children should know that if they find a lighter or matches on the ground or lying around the house, they should immediately give it to an adult or tell an adult where the item is lying. If a child has the opportunity to play with matches or lighters, they will almost certainly figure out how to use them and they will be putting themselves in a very dangerous situation.”

According to statistics from the South Carolina State Fire Marshall’s Office, one person in South Carolina has died this year because of a fire started by a child playing with a lighter. Since 2000, eight people have died.

All three Gaffney fire stations responded to the fire. Firefighter Mike Lester broke his foot while stepping off a fire truck.