Parents cited after children try to start fire

Two parents were cited Monday afternoon after police found their three young children attempting to start a fire in a vacant apartment in south Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs police officers showed up to the apartment at 854 Chapman Drive about 12:30 p.m., in response to a call about a burglary. Inside, they found three young children who had put twigs on top of a stove and turned on the burner.

When officers arrived, the twigs had started to smoke but the apartment was not damaged.

Officers gave citations to their parents: one with suspicion of child abuse and the other for obstruction of a police officer.