Cigarette sparked duplex blaze.Byline: Rebecca Taylor Rebecca Taylor (c. 1969–) is a New Zealand-born fashion designer based in New York, New York, U.S.. To Americans, she is probably the most famous New Zealand designer, with her label at US and European department stores. Her retail outlets include boutiques in Japan. The Register-Guard CORRECTION (Ran Aug. 31): An accidental fire that destroyed a Springfield duplex (communications) duplex - Used to describe a communications channel that can carry signals in both directions, in contrast to a simplex channel which only ever carries a signal in one direction. Tuesday started at 1614 Eighth St. The wrong address was given Thursday in a story on Page C1. SPRINGFIELD - A cigarette butt tossed into a pile of debris started a fire that destroyed a duplex and left six people homeless Tuesday, fire officials said. A 16-year-old resident of the duplex accidentally started the fire at 1604 Eighth St. about 11:30 a.m., Deputy Springfield Fire Marshal fire marshal n. 1. The head of a department or office that is charged with the prevention and investigation of fires. 2. A person in charge of firefighting personnel and equipment at an industrial plant. Noun 1. Brian Parmelee said Wednesday. The boy told investigators he placed a burning cigarette into a paper cup and tossed it out an upstairs window, Parmelee said. The boy, Francisco Partida-Haaby, told investigators he thought there was water in the cup and that the butt was extinguished ex·tin·guish tr.v. ex·tin·guished, ex·tin·guish·ing, ex·tin·guish·es 1. To put out (a fire, for example); quench. 2. To put an end to (hopes, for example); destroy. See Synonyms at abolish. 3. . It wasn't. The butt and cup landed among a woodpile and discarded dis·card v. dis·card·ed, dis·card·ing, dis·cards v.tr. 1. To throw away; reject. 2. a. To throw out (a playing card) from one's hand. b. couch, recliner and other trash in the backyard, Parmelee said. The boy didn't notice the fire at first because he was taking a shower. When he was done, he smelled smoke, looked out the window and saw flames. A neighbor sprayed the blaze with a fire extinguisher fire extinguisher: see fire fighting. but it had no effect, witnesses said. The fire spread to the home and burned fast and hot because of the house's age and a lack of sheetrock and insulation in the garage, Parmelee said. It caused $350,000 in damage to the duplex, its contents, two cars parked in the driveway, a fence and the wall of a neighboring neigh·bor n. 1. One who lives near or next to another. 2. A person, place, or thing adjacent to or located near another. 3. A fellow human. 4. Used as a form of familiar address. v. house. Two families living in the duplex are now homeless. The owners of the neighboring house have been forced to find somewhere else to live while their home is repaired. Investigators initially treated the blaze as suspicious, because the family of the 16-year-old was being evicted that morning, Parmelee said. But evidence indicated otherwise. "It's accidental, and we've closed the case and that's it," Parmelee said. |
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