PORTAGE TOWNSHIP | A 9-year-old boy playing with a lighter in a bedroom caused minimal damage to a home Friday afternoon.

Firefighters were called to 757 Ind. 130 shortly before 2 p.m. Friday in response to a possible structure fire.

South Haven Fire Chief John Kepshire said the fire was limited to the bedroom and its contents with some smoke damage to the rest of the home. Kepshire said the boy found the lighter on a living room table and took it in his bedroom. While playing with the lighter, he lit his mattress on fire.

"All in all, it's a nice stop," Kepshire said, referring to the firefighters' efforts.

In responding to the call the Union Fire Rescue aerial truck slipped into a drainage ditch in front of the home and had to be towed out of the ditch. Damage to the truck was unknown at the time.

Traffic was blocked on Ind. 130 between County Line Road and County Road 600 West while firefighters responded to the fire and while the aerial truck was towed from the ditch. Traffic was flowing again by 3 p.m.

In addition to Union Township, Portage and Liberty Township fire departments also responded to the scene.