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Russellville tragedy has some talking statewide ban on sale of novelty lighters Sunday, Sep 30, 2007 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - For years, fire marshals around the state have used those small novelty lighters - shaped like race cars, footballs, dinosaurs, dogs or motorcycles - in their fire safety education programs when talking to children about the dangers of playing with matches and lighters. North Little Rock recently became one of the first cities in the country to prohibit the sale of the toy-like devices, and the deaths of two Russellville boys who set fire to their apartment while playing with a motorcycle-shaped lighter has some legislative candidates talking about a statewide ban. Outlawing the novelty lighters available in many stories and on eBay is being considered throughout the country. They have been banned in Redland and National City, Calif., and several California cities are looking at following suit. Oregon State Fire Marshal Nancy Orr recently announced a nationwide effort calling on the Consumer Product Safety Commission to prohibit the sale and distribution of the lighters. Sales already are outlawed in several cities in the United Kingdom and in other European countries. North Little Rock's ban goes into effect Monday. Russellville Fire Marshal Richard Setian, who investigated Tuesday's apartment fire that killed 15-month-old Peyton Edwards and 2-year-old Breydon Edwards, said a statewide ban would help, but "ultimately the responsibility lies with the parents." Educating parents about the dangers of the lighters should be developed, he suggested. The Russellville fire started as the two boys played on bed in a back room of the apartment with a motorcycle-shaped lighter so realistic that the fire came out of an exhaust pipe, the fire chief said. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that children under 5 are responsible for more than 5,000 residential fires each year, though no information on how many were started by novelty lighters was available. Lt. Mark Shoemaker, the deputy North Little Rock fire marshal, said fear of tragedies like the deadly Russellville fire are what prompted him to campaign to get the North Little Rock City Council to ban the novelty lighters. "I would love to see them banned across the state," Shoemaker said, adding that he has talked to fire marshals in Bryant, Clarksville, Fort Smith, Little Rock and elsewhere about passing local bans, as well as state Fire Marshal Lt. Lindsey Williams and the state police. "I've been trying to get bans locally around the state, and then maybe trying to get it to the Legislature," he said. At least two state House candidates say they're open to banning the devices. "Yes, I definitely think we should be proactive, and I think a statewide ban would be appropriate," said Republican Andrea Lea of Russellville, who has announced as a candidate for the House seat now held by term-limited Rep. Michael Lamoureux, R-Russellville. "We have a product that is supposed to be utilitarian, but it is created to look like a toy and it is very dangerous." Democrat Thomas Akin of Russellville, who also has announced his candidacy for the seat, said a statewide ban needs to be studied. "That's an issue that's certainly has caused a problem and it is something we sure need to look at," he said. Shoemaker said he got the idea to push for a citywide ban in North Little Rock while in a Little Rock drug store. "I saw a kid one day at a store playing with one while his mom was checking out and it just floored me. It looked like a toy and he was playing with fire," Shoemaker said. The lighter looked like a double-barrel shotgun. Shoemaker has a small collection of similar novelty lighters at his offices and takes them with him to fire safety programs at schools around the city. After the incident, he notified council members and Mayor Patrick Henry Hays, who later sponsored the ordinance to ban the lighters. Hays said last week he would support a statewide ban. Williams said Friday he is working with fire marshals around the state to beef up education programs on the dangers of the novelty lighters. He said it was too early to say whether there should be a statewide ban. "We need to keep the lines of communications open," Williams said. "We need to explore all options." |
