Fire Investigators Warn Parents, Caretakers After Child Suffers Serious Burns While Playing With Lighter
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A 9-year-old Fort Lauderdale girl remains at the burn unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital Friday after suffering burns to 30% of her body on Thursday evening.
Fire investigators say this case presents a clear lesson for parents everywhere.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan said the child went inside her home to use the bathroom Thursday evening while her parents and siblings were outside.
Gollan said it appears the child started playing with a lighter.
"There was a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a lighter in the bathroom. The pediatric patient states she was playing with the lighter and it caught the alcohol on fire, which resulted in the injuries."
Authorities tell CBS4 the child started screaming for her parents.
They heard the screaming and immediately came in and called 911.
The child was taken to Broward Health with second-degree burns and later transferred to Jackson's Burn Unit.
Battalion Chief Gollan says in the summertime they see an increase in child injuries and he offered some advice to all parents and caregivers.
"We always urge parents to keep lighters or any type of fire away from kids at all times."