What led to a five-year-old boy starting a fire at home?

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A Five-Year-Old Boy Initiated a Fire at Home After Playing with Sparks from a Short Circuit

A five-year-old boy in Shenzhen accidentally started a fire that destroyed nearly US$30,000 worth of mobile phones. The incident occurred when the child, playing near a power strip in his father's phone-repair workshop, noticed sparks from a short circuit. He then used these sparks to ignite a tissue, which rapidly led to a blaze.
Sparks from a Short Circuit Ignited a Tissue

The young boy was in a room that served as his father's phone-repair workshop, an area where a power strip was located. While playing, he observed sparks emanating from a short circuit. This observation prompted him to pick up a tissue and use the sparks to set it alight, inadvertently initiating the fire.
Nearly 30 Smartphones Were Destroyed

The ensuing fire spread quickly, resulting in the destruction of almost 30 smartphones. More than half of the damaged devices were identified as iPhones, representing a significant financial loss. The family's business, which operated from their home, was uninsured, meaning the father, surnamed Peng, would bear the full cost of the damage.
The Father's Reaction Turned the Incident into a Lesson

Mr. Peng, who had been asleep, woke to the smell of smoke and managed to extinguish the fire, though parts of the living room and workshop were damaged. Instead of reprimanding his son, he used the event as a teaching moment. He questioned the boy about his actions and subsequently educated him on the dangers of playing with fire, using a Chinese idiom to illustrate the consequences. The boy, showing remorse, attempted to offer his pocket money and had earlier rescued his father's cigarettes from the burning room.

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What led to a five-year-old boy starting a fire at home?

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