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Update: Juvenile playing with lighter sparks mattress fire

Update (9:40 p.m.): A juvenile playing with a lighter in a first floor bedroom accidentally sparked a fire on a mattress and box spring at a Peconic home Thursday.

Southold Town police said that Officer Katie Johnson was transferring gear from her police car at the end of her shift when she noticed flames in a first floor window of a the house directly next to police headquarters. She notified dispatch and assisted in evacuating the people inside the home shortly after 3:30 p.m. There were three adults and four juveniles inside the home, police said.

Two other officers went into the house to make sure no was inside and found the mattress and box spring on fire. They were able to use multiple fire extinguishers to knock down the fire until the Southold Fire Department arrived.

Original Story: Southold police didn’t have to travel far to respond to a report of a house fire Thursday afternoon.

A mattress caught fire at a Main Road home in Peconic directly next to police headquarters shortly before 4 p.m., according to fire officials. The Southold Fire Department responded with three engines and the fire was quickly contained and did not lead to any substantial damage at the home.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, said Southold Fire Chief Craig Goldsmith.

“Everybody got out safe,” said. “No extensive damage.”

One of the homeowners who was at the scene said he rents the house.

The westbound lane of Main Road was closed as firefighters were at the scene and was reopened at 4:30 p.m. The eastbound lane remained open to traffic throughout.

Photo caption: Firefighters on scene in Peconic Thursday. (Credit: Mahreen Khan)

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Part of burnt remains of a mattress were outside the home. (Credit: Mahreen Khan)