Gloucester Township Child Falls Into Fire Pit, Suffers Serious Burns

An 8-year-old girl fell into a fire pit at a home in Gloucester Township and had to be treated for burns.

The incident happened around 8 o'clock Tuesday night at Camelot Court, according to 6abc.com.

The child reportedly suffered burns to her back and hand and is in the care of St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.

Here are a few fire pit safety tips to keep in mind, according to Nationwide:

DO: Keep the fire at a safe distance

To keep your fire from causing damage, build the fire pit at least 10 feet from your home, fences, trees and the like.

DON’T: Use gasoline or lighter fluid

Never use gasoline or kerosene to start your fire; such fuels can cause a fire to get out of control quickly. Instead, use dry wood as kindling that doesn’t extend beyond the edge of the pit.

DO: Monitor guests around fire pits

Make sure guests maintain a proper distance and don’t exhibit risky behavior. Keep close tabs on children and pets.

DON’T: Build a fire pit with river stones

Smooth stones from river beds may have absorbed moisture over time and can heat rapidly and explode. Instead of river stones, build your fire pit with dry, rough stones.

DON’T: Leave a fire unattended

Even if your fire pit is small, flames can spread quickly if left unattended. Monitor at all times.

DO: Put your fire out safely

Once you extinguish your fire with water, gently stir and spread the ashes to cool. Leave only when they’re cool to the touch.

DO: Have an emergency plan

Keep a fire extinguisher, garden hose or bucket of sand close to douse the fire in case it gets out of hand. If you can’t put it out quickly, call 9-1-1.

SOURCES: Nationwide; 6abc.com; Gloucester Twp. Patch/Facebook