The fire at 481 Hull St. began at 3:29 p.m. in an upstairs bedroom, firefighters said. The fire spread through the room and into the attic.

Pamela Oris and her two children were home at the time of the fire, police said.

Her 9-year-old son was upstairs playing, came down and asked for a glass of water. The boy said he saw the fire coming from a loose wire in the television, police said. A fire department report listed "child playing with matches" as the cause of the fire.

Ms. Oris and her two children were placed in temporary lodgings with the help of the Mercer County Chapter of the Red Cross, police said. Firefighters said there was no insurance on the home, owned by David Pitman of Mercer.

A damage estimate was unavailable this morning.

Two people were home in the adjoining apartment, police said. They said the apartment had smoke damage, police said.