A 10-year-old Jefferson boy received first and second degree burns to his hands, face, chest and back after putting gasoline on a campfire at his family’s home on Fox Road a little after 7 p.m. Tuesday night. The boy was air lifted by Life Flight to Massachusetts General Hospital.
Jefferson Assistant Fire Chief Walter Morris said there was a package of hot dogs near the fire, so he assumes the permitted burn was a cooking fire. “The young lad found a container of gasoline and decided to make the fire bigger, but who knows what goes through the mind of a ten-year-old boy,” Morris said. The gasoline caused a flash fire that burned the boy.
Morris was the first on scene and was relieved to hear the boy crying and complaining of pain, which was a good indication that he had not sustained serious lung injuries.
“Gasoline is very common consumer product. A lot of people under estimate how dangerous gasoline can be,” Morris said.
“I would like to thank all responding agencies. There was great coordination and communication,” Morris said of the response by Jefferson Fire and Rescue, Lincoln County Communications, Lincoln County Sheriff Dept., Delta Ambulance and Life Flight.
The boy is a student at the Jefferson Village School, said Principal Peter Gallace. The school will be working closely with students to provide support for those who need it, Gallace said.
“We’re doing whatever we can to help students and to provide what support we can to the family,” Gallace said.
At the scene, several members of Jefferson Fire and Rescue “took money out of their own pockets and gave it to the parents for gas money to drive to Boston,” Morris said. “That’s what makes small towns great, neighbors helping neighbors. Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family.”
