JEANERETTE, LA (WAFB) - A 1-year-old girl suffered second-degree burns in a fire believed to have started from a cell phone being charged on a bed early Thursday morning, according to investigators.
The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal reported it happened in Jeanerette just before 1 a.m.
Officials said the victim had burns on her head, arms, and legs. They added she was taken to a hospital in Galveston, Texas, for treatment.
According to the fire marshal’s office, a 14-year-old said he was sleeping in a room with his 1-year-old sister and when he went to use the bathroom, he smelled smoke and saw flames on the mattress.
Detectives reported they have determined the fire started on the bed, which is where the phone lying while plugged into a wall outlet.
They added they have not yet determined the exact cause of the fire, but they can’t rule out it was due to some type of electrical malfunction with the phone being charged. They did not provide details about the type of phone that was getting charged.
According to officials, the fire marshal's office was contacted by the Jeanerette Fire Department about what happened and deputy marshals responded to the scene.
The investigation is ongoing.
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