CAMARILLO : Teen-Ager Burned Over 30% of Body

A 15-year-old Camarillo youth, who was apparently trying to blow up a wall with four gallons of gasoline, was badly burned Sunday afternoon, authorities said. The youth suffered burns over about 30% of his body, mostly on his arms and hands, authorities said.

The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, was in fair condition at Sherman Oaks Burn Center on Sunday night, a nursing supervisor said.

The boy and two friends were reportedly trying to explode a wall in a field at Mission Oaks Boulevard and Adolfo Road in Camarillo about 3:30 p.m., Ventura County Fire Dispatcher Jackie Noel said.

The three youths were walking in a storm drain and, when they reached a wall, they decided to blow it up, Noel said. They went back outside the drain, got some gasoline and used toilet paper as a wick, Noel said.

The trio did not succeed in blowing up the wall, but the youth who lit the fuse suffered first- and second-degree burns, she said. The other two youths, who are also from Camarillo, were not injured, Ventura County Sheriff’s Lt. Gary Backman said. They were arrested on suspicion of arson and released to the custody of their parents, he said.