COUNTY NEWS: Warning after two children hurt in explosion

A WARNING has been issued by the county’s fire service after two children were taken to hospital following an explosion at their home.
The air ambulance lands near to the house. PHOTO: Ashley Woods SUS-150525-131237001The air ambulance lands near to the house. PHOTO: Ashley Woods SUS-150525-131237001
The air ambulance lands near to the house. PHOTO: Ashley Woods SUS-150525-131237001

The siblings, a 12-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl, had been playing with the canister around the embers of a fire pit in their garden, in The Willows, Storrington, when it overheated and blew up.

Mark Hayter, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service’s fire investigation officer at the scene, said: “They were using paper to try and light it. Then then did some fire play by placing a hair spray can on the embers. The canister heated to a point that it exploded.”

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Both children were burnt by the blaze, with an air ambulance, fire crews and a paramedics being called to the scene, at about 10.30am today (May 25).

The air ambulance crew close to the scene of the explosion earlier today  PHOTO: Ashley Woods SUS-150525-132132001The air ambulance crew close to the scene of the explosion earlier today  PHOTO: Ashley Woods SUS-150525-132132001
The air ambulance crew close to the scene of the explosion earlier today PHOTO: Ashley Woods SUS-150525-132132001

The boy suffered extensive burns to about 40 per cent of his body, while his sister received superficial burns to her knees and hands.

Both were taken to Worthing Hospital for treatment.

No property was damaged during the today’s incident.

Mark has since issued a warning to all young people thinking about playing with fire.

He said: “Playing with fire can be very dangerous. When you play with a cylinder with gas in it, on a fire, it can lead to explosive consequences, which can result to serious injuries or fire being spread to property.”

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This incident is not an uncommon one for the fire service to attend to, said Mark.

He said a lot of young people experimented with fire, with some creating small flame-throwers using hairspray or deodorant cans.

He added: “This fascination can lead to big consequences. There are severe consequences when it all goes wrong.”

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