Officials: Boy starts apartment fire, dozens displaced

SUITLAND, Md. (AP) -- Officials in Prince George's County say dozens of people were displaced for the night after a boy started a fire at his Suitland apartment building.

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.