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A family of six lost everything in a weekend fire. Investigators say a child playing with a lighter started the fire. Now firefighters are offering tips to prevent a fire like this.

“Fires get started all the time just out of curiosity in children,” said Albany Fire Department Battalion Chief Kelly Harcrow.

Firefighters call the mobile home on Moultrie Road a “total loss.” A mom, dad, and four children under age seven lived there. Fire investigators say 6-year-old Hannah started the fire while playing with a lighter Sunday morning.

Harcrow says these types of fires are avoidable. He says to tell your kids to stay away from lighters, and tell an adult if they find one.

“Sit down with your child and explain to them what it is, what it can do, the results. You could lose your house. You could get burned badly. You could lose basically everything you own. Explain to them that it’s not a toy. It’s not something you want to play with,” Harcrow said.

The only injury reported in this fire was a minor burn on the 6-year-old’s finger. Everyone else is OK, but it could’ve been much worse. Other similar situations have resulted in severe injuries and even death.

“There’s the skin burn itself which is devastating and can cause lots of damage, require surgery to fix,” said Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer Doug Patten.” If you’re in an enclosed space like a home and there’s smoke with the fire then inhaling that smoke can cause damage to the lungs, and the third component of that is the explosion component of it. Even in a home fire there are things inside the home that will explode.”

Firefighters say to start talking to your kids about safety when they’re young.

“The earlier they learn it, the more they remember it, the better they are as they get older,” Harcrow said.

Find more fire safety tips click here.