There was a fire in a home on Church Street in Jeanerette this morning, and the State Fire Marshall's Office is still investigating after a child was burned.

The one-year-old child was taken to a burn unit at a Galveston, Texas hospital.

Investigators say a 14-year-old boy in the home was charging his cell phone, and the one-year-old was sleeping with the boy. At some point, a fire started.

Here is the press release from the State Fire Marshall's Office:

 

CELL PHONE SUSPECTED IN FIRE THAT INJURED 1-YEAR-OLD

IBERIA PARISH- State Fire Marshal deputies are investigating a house fire that resulted in a 1-year-old receiving 2nd degree burns to her head, arms and legs.

The Jeanerette Fire Department notified the OSFM about the fire just before 1 a.m. It occurred at a home on Church Street in Jeanerette.

A 14-year-old resident of the home stated he was sleeping in a room with his 1-year-old sister. When he awoke to use the bathroom, he smelled smoke and saw a fire on the mattress.

Detectives have determined the origin of the fire to be the bed, where a cell phone was laying while plugged into an electrical outlet. At this time, the cause is undetermined with the inability to rule out electrical malfunction due to a cell phone charging. The investigation is still active.

The toddler was taken to a Galveston, TX hospital for treatment.

The OSFM would like to take this opportunity to remind the public that electronic devices should always be properly ventilated while they are being charged. It is recommended that cell phones remain on a hard surface while charging to prevent overheating.

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