SALEM (AP) — Oregon state officials and firefighters have asked state legislators to ban the sale of novelty cigarette lighters that they say children can mistake for playthings.

Tim Birr, a retired firefighter and chief, told legislators that in 2000 when he was with the Tualatin Valley Fire District, firefighters pulled two boys, ages 2 and 6, from a burning house, but the older child died. The boys’ mother had left the home for a quick errand and left on a front-room table a cigarette lighter, that was “designed to look like a dolphin, a lighter the younger boy appeared to have a fascination with.”

Judy Okulitch, coordinator of the Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program in the state fire marshal’s office, said she is working on legislation to ban the sale of such lighters.

At a hearing Tuesday, she showed the House Committee on Consumer Protection pairs of colorful items: Toy ducks, yellow bulldozers, miniature bears. In every case, the two items were virtually identical.

“The only difference,” she said, pointing to one of two green tractors, is “the one on the left has an ignition and shoots a flame.”

One lighter was of Sparky, the Dalmatian fire dog. Pressing on his red fire helmet triggers a flame from his mouth.

Lobbyists for grocery stores and retail chains sat in on the hearing but did not testify. Afterward, they said their clients don’t sell such novelty lighters and most likely would not object to a ban.

Okulitch said she has found such items in Oregon convenience and liquor stores.

Rep. Paul Holvey, a Eugene Democrat and the committee’s chairman, said he expects the bill to be well received.

“These toy lighters are pretty cool and if I were a kid, I’d probably want to play with them,” he said.