TWO FIVE-year-olds are responsible for an intense blaze which destroyed a caravan on a residential block at Binjari Community on Monday afternoon.
Katherine Fire Station leading fire fighter Steve Ditcham said the caravan burnt down very rapidly.
He said police quickly discovered that two children were behind the fire’s eruption as they played with a lighter in long grass, which quickly burnt under a fence and ignited the caravan.
Police have referred the toddlers to Katherine’s Juvenile Fire Awareness Intervention Program.
Mr Ditcham said the JFAIP was a crucial tool being used to educate children about the danger of fire-play and the resultant consequences of misuse of fire.
“The key message is that matches and lighters are tools, not toys,” he said.
“Parents, teachers and police can refer children with a history of fire play to the JFAIP practitioners at the Katherine fire station.
Fire fighters are also calling on people this dry season to make sure they pass on any information about people they believe they have seen lighting fires.
People are asked to ring the Police Assistance line on 131 444 with a description of people or vehicles seen lighting fires or acting suspiciously in an area where a fire has been seen