A West Philadelphia fire that killed a 12-year-old boy and injured his mother and two firefighters Saturday evening, was caused by a discarded cigarette, the Philadelphia Fire Department said.
Careless smoking was the cause of the fire, according to the Fire Marshal's report, a department spokesman said. Someone in the house apparently left a cigarette on a couch, the spokesman said.
Frank Marasco, a 12-year-old boy who has been described as autistic, died in the fire.
The incident has become the center of the debate between firefighter union leaders and the Nutter administration over cutbacks that put the engine company nearest to the blaze out of service during the day. The company was working at the time of the fire, but had to travel across the city to pick up their truck, which was being repaired, and was not available.