LYNN (CBS) – The cause of a three-alarm fire that badly damaged a house in Lynn Tuesday morning was caused by a child playing with a lighter.

One of the residents of the Murray Street home told WBZ-TV a 4-year-old boy was playing with the lighter when a couch caught fire.

The two-and-a-half-story wood-frame house quickly went up in flames.  At one point, firefighters were ordered out of the building as the fire went through the roof.

Nine people were inside the home when fire broke out, all escaped safely.

District Chief Stephen Archer told WBZ-TV an off-duty firefighter was the first person to arrive at the scene.

Archer said frigid weather made fighting the fire a challenge.

American Red Cross responded to the scene and provided assistance to two families affected by the fire.