Child flown to hospital with burn injuries after starting fire in Gateway home

A child was flown to the hospital with burns Thursday morning after starting a fire at a Gateway home.

According to the South Trail Fire and Rescue District, the fire was in the Silver Lakes community. Firefighters found the child with burn injuries while a small fire remained burning in the house. A firefighter/paramedic attended to the victim while other firefighters put out the fire.

The child was airlifted by LeeFlight to a burn center in Tampa.

The fire marshal said the child started the fire with a lighter and rubbing alcohol in a bathroom.

While the fire was intentionally set, there will be no charges, the fire marshal said.

The child’s family was home at the time.

“This is a pediatric burn patient; your heart absolutely goes out not only to that patient but to the family as well,” said Amy Bollen, spokesperson for South Trail Fire & Rescue District.

Those burns were so severe that the child was taken to a nearby soccer field so he could be airlifted to Tampa General Hospital.

Stephanie Peterson saw what was happening. “We saw them unload the little guy from the truck and eventually load him up into the helicopter.”

“It’s a horrible lesson to learn this way because of the injury and length it’s going to take to get over burn injuries,” Bollen said.

The boy’s condition was unavailable Thursday evening.

The fire department said that as hard as something like this is to hear and see, it’s an important reminder for families to talk with their kids about fire safety.

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