Topsham Boy, 12, Severely Burned After Gasoline Flash Fire at Home

A 12-year-old Topsham boy remained in serious condition at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on Monday after state investigators said a gasoline can ignited in a flash fire Friday evening at a Coot Lane home, spilling burning fuel across his body while he and another child were attempting to light a backyard fire pit.

The mechanism that turned a routine attempt into a catastrophe is one emergency responders warn about repeatedly: gasoline produces vapors heavier than air that spread invisibly along the ground and ignite explosively near an open flame. Pouring gasoline near a fire pit does not simply light the wood. It creates an expanding cloud of vapor that can detonate in an instant, causing severe burns before anyone can react. The Maine State Fire Marshal's Office, which is investigating the incident, emphasized the "extreme danger" of using any liquid accelerant to start a fire.

Topsham police were called to the residence on Coot Lane around 5:30 p.m. on March 27. "Upon arrival, first responders located a 12-year-old male seated on the front porch of the residence suffering from extensive burns to his body," said Shannon Moss, a Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson. Paramedics transported the boy immediately to Maine Medical Center in Portland; he was later transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for specialized burn care. A second juvenile at the scene was brought to a local hospital by a parent for smoke inhalation treatment and was released. Police initially reported an incorrect address for the incident; Coot Lane has been confirmed as the correct location.

When a child sustains a serious burn, run cool, not ice-cold, water over the burned area immediately for at least three to five minutes, then cover it loosely with a clean cloth and call 911. Do not apply butter, oil, toothpaste, or any home remedy; these can trap heat and deepen the injury. For gasoline burns specifically, remove saturated clothing as quickly as safely possible to stop ongoing chemical exposure.

The Fire Marshal's Office and the Maine Department of Public Safety are urging families never to use gasoline or any other flammable liquid to start a fire pit, grill, or fireplace. Approved fire-starter sticks or commercial lighter cubes are safe alternatives. Children should not be present near a fire pit without direct adult supervision at every stage, including the lighting process.

The transfer to Massachusetts General reflects both the severity of the boy's injuries and the limited availability of specialized pediatric burn care within Maine. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that a burn injury serious enough to require treatment occurs somewhere in the United States every 60 seconds. With outdoor fire season arriving across the region, Maine's open-burn permitting period runs from late March through late November, and the incident on Coot Lane illustrates how quickly a backyard fire pit turns deadly when a gasoline can is within reach of children.

The State Fire Marshal's Office investigation remains ongoing; officials said they will determine whether criminal charges or other actions are warranted after completing their review.