4 apartments destroyed when gasoline in fireplace starts blaze at Grapevine complex

Posted Friday, Dec. 11, 2009

By MITCH MITCHELL

GRAPEVINE — Four apartments were destroyed Friday night by a blaze that began when a resident tried to start a fire in a fireplace using gasoline, a fire official said.
The blaze at the Marina del Rey apartments in the 1700 block of Dove Loop Road was reported at 7:47 p.m., officials said.

Firefighters raised the call to four alarms, primarily to summon equipment to stop flames from spreading through common attics and walls, Division Fire Chief Mark Ashmead said.

A child whose hands were burned was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Ashmead said.

Of the four apartments burned, two were occupied. Five adults and two children were displaced, he said.

Of the way the fire started, Ashmead said, "We tried that once in our childhood, and oh my gosh, it’s something you never do twice."

Authorities may pursue criminal charges after an investigation is complete, Ashmead said.

At 10:30 p.m., the fire had died down, but firefighters were looking for hot spots.

From: http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1825527.html