Nine-year-old boy blamed for blaze that razed barn
Police in the canton of Fribourg on Monday blamed a nine-year-old boy for a fire that destroyed a barn, killed eight calves and seriously injured a 55-year-old man.
The incident occurred in the village of Attalens last Thursday at a farm owned by a 44-year-old man around 5.15pm, cantonal police said.
The fire got started after the boy was playing with a cigarette lighter and accidentally set straw alight, police said.
A total of 35 local fire fighters and 15 soldiers from a nearby base responded to the blaze.
Given the culprit’s young age, police said the file on the case will not be sent to the judicial authority for minors.
The injured man, a friend of the boy’s family, remains in hospital where he is being treated for severe burns.
He received the burns while attempting to put out the fire with an extinguisher, police said.
While the injuries are serious, his life is not in danger.
Comments
See Also
The incident occurred in the village of Attalens last Thursday at a farm owned by a 44-year-old man around 5.15pm, cantonal police said.
The fire got started after the boy was playing with a cigarette lighter and accidentally set straw alight, police said.
A total of 35 local fire fighters and 15 soldiers from a nearby base responded to the blaze.
Given the culprit’s young age, police said the file on the case will not be sent to the judicial authority for minors.
The injured man, a friend of the boy’s family, remains in hospital where he is being treated for severe burns.
He received the burns while attempting to put out the fire with an extinguisher, police said.
While the injuries are serious, his life is not in danger.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.