Child playing with lighter sparks Batavia fire

A child playing with a lighter sparked a fire Saturday causing about $25,000 in damage to a Batavia apartment, authorities said.

Firefighters arrived about 1 p.m. to find black smoke in the second-floor of a unit in the Green Meadow Apartments on the 1100 block of West Wilson Street.

Investigators determined a young child playing with a lighter set a bed on fire in a second-floor bedroom, Battalion Chief Ed Jancauskas said.

The fire, contained to the bedroom, was brought under control in about 15 minutes, Jancauskas said.

Officials pegged the structural damage at about $20,000 in a news release Saturday. The fire also caused about $5,000 in damage to the contents of the apartment.

No injuries were reported.

Units from Geneva, North Aurora and St. Charles fire departments also responded.