Investigators said Monday that a teenager who tried to a light a candle with a shoelace started a fire that left seven people homeless.
Flames broke out Sunday night in a third-floor bedroom at 1723 Chalkstone Ave. in Providence. The fire restarted Monday morning, but it was brought under control.
Investigators told NBC 10 that it all stated when a 19-year-old man tried to light a candle. He couldn't reach the wick, so he set a shoelace on fire and tried to use it as a lighter.
Officials said the teenager threw away the shoelace in a wastebasket filled with tissues, which started smoking. He stuffed a pair of jeans on top, opened a window and turned on a fan in an attempt to clear the smoke.
Air from the fan just made the fire bigger.
No one was hurt.
The teenager is not expected to face any charges.
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