Flaming Rum Severely Burns Father and Son

An off-duty Anaheim firefighter and his young son were severely burned Wednesday when flaming rum flared and spilled on them in an east Corona restaurant.

Harold Gotts, 40, suffered second- and third-degree burns to his face, head, hands and arms, said John Bloom, battalion chief for the Corona Fire Department. He also might have inhaled some of the flaming liquid.

David Gotts, 9, suffered second-degree burns to his face and hands, Bloom said.

They were taken to the burn unit at UCI Medical Center in Orange, where they were listed in stable condition Wednesday night, said Jan Gitsham, nursing coordinator.

Harold Gotts, an 11-year Anaheim Fire Department veteran, was having a farewell dinner at the Chuck Wagon Restaurant on East 6th Street for his mother-in-law, who had been visiting from England. She suffered minor burns and was treated at the scene, Bloom said.

“By the time we got there, everything was in disarray,” Capt. Randy Hoggard said. “The table was kicked out of the way, and the injured people were on the floor.”

The injuries occurred, Hoggard said, when the Gottses’ waiter was pouring rum onto a flaming beef dish they had ordered. The alcohol flared up and spilled on Gotts, his mother-in-law and son.

The waiter and others at the table were not injured, Hoggard said.