Boy, 5, Sets Himself on Fire With Lighter

A 5-year-old boy suffered major burns over much of his body Saturday after igniting his T-shirt with a lighter, authorities said.

Joshua Rand was in serious but stable condition in the burn unit at UCI Medical Center in Orange with first-, second- and third-degree burns on his chest, abdomen, neck, groin and left arm and hand, said Battalion Chief Paul Summers of the Fountain Valley Fire Department.

The boy apparently had been playing with a butane lighter about 8:15 a.m. at his home in the 11000 block of Lilac Way when his T-shirt caught fire, Summers said.

His mother, who was at home with two younger children at the time, put out the fire, dialed 911 and was told to place wet towels over the child’s body, Summers said.

“I think that definitely helped to prevent further damage,” he said.

It was the second such incident in a week. On June 23, a 4-year-old Tustin boy accidentally set himself on fire while playing with a disposable lighter.

Joel Hoare Jr. suffered burns over 30% of his body after his pajama bottoms caught fire. He remains in serious but stable condition also at UCI Medical Center’s burn unit.