Officials: Boy Starts Md. Apartment Fire, Dozens Displaced

Dozens of people were displaced for the night after a boy started a fire at his Suitland apartment building, Prince George's County fire officials said.

County fire department spokesman Mark Brady says firefighters were called to the building on Southern Avenue on Tuesday evening and found fire showing from a ground-floor apartment. He says residents escaped safely and the fire was quickly extinguished.

Brady says investigators believe a boy under the age of 10 started the fire with a lighter. He says the boy will be entered into a program for juvenile fire-setters.

Damage from the blaze was estimated at $50,000. He says one apartment was damaged by the fire, but other residents were displaced because of the loss of utility services. The Red Cross was working to help them.