Special Report: Playing with Fire

They look like tiny toys; colorful cars, a kid sized fishing pole and even a cute little ladybug. They have flashing lights and make noises. But take a closer look.  These are not something you want your kid to play with, because if they do, they'll be playing with fire.
 
Vicky Brown's 7-year-old son Shane learned this lesson the hard way. He grabbed what looked like a mini baseball bat off the counter at a convenience store near his home in Maine.
 
Vicky Brown, son injured by novelty lighter
"When he pressed the button of course the flame went up across his face, burned his upper and lower eye lashes, his eyebrow and also singed his hair it was so close to the eyeball that it could have definitely been a different story for him. Thank God that it wasn't."
 
Vicky says her son had no way of knowing it wasn't a toy.
 
Vicky Brown, son injured by novelty lighter
"There are just little buttons and they light up and all kinds of fancy stuff that lure a child to pick them up and investigate and that's exactly what he did."
 
Maine's State Fire Marshall agrees.
 
John Dean, Maine State Fire Marshal
"Every child knows what a camera is.  They know that when you get a camera, you hold it to your face and take a picture"
 
Shane's close call prompted lawmakers in Maine to take action, and they banned the sale of novelty lighters. But that's not the case in Massachusetts where they're still legal.
 
We found them for sale at several spots, disguised as things as childlike as a mini-soccer ball and even a tiny dolphin. And while they're legal in the Bay-State, one young man is helping to change that.
 
Ronald, concerned about lighter safety
"They should learn that novelty lighters are very dangerous."
 
12-year-old Ronald helped pass a by-law in the town of Natick banning the sale of all lighters to anyone under 18, and keeping all lighters behind the counter.
 
Now state lawmakers have taken up the cause and filed a bill to ban novelty lighters altogether from Massachusetts.  They're hoping the legislation will pass within the year.
 
Shane's parents agree the law needs to be passed quickly because they know how easily these little lighters can up in little hands.
 
Vicky Brown, son injured by novelty lighter
"They're kids, we're the adults.  We're supposed to be looking out for their best interest."

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