Two Young Fitchburg Brothers Seriously Burned By Bonfire

FITCHBURG (CBS) -- Two young brothers were seriously burned Saturday when one of them accidentally threw a gas can into a bonfire in Fitchburg, police said.

Jameson Carroll, 14, and his brother Jaxon Carroll, 11, were at a bonfire in the backyard of their home. Their mother went inside to get more marshmallows, when one of the boys tried to keep the fire going. Investigators believe one of the boys had thrown gasoline into the fire when the can exploded.

"We saw two victims in the road," said Fitchburg Deputy Fire Chief  Thomas Dateo. "It was a little bit chaotic."

Neighbors who spoke to WBZ-TV's Julie Loncich said the noise sounded like a blown transformer.

"When we came out of the house and we heard there was an explosion, and there was a guy laying on the ground on fire. His pants were already burned off," neighbor Norton Forcier told WBZ-TV.

Breanna Camire, another neighbor who saw the incident, ran into her home and grabbed a towel.

"I just kind hit at him and the fire on the ground, seemed to be the remnants of his pants, apparently and just held him still so he wouldn't thrash," Camire said.

Fire officials said 11-year-old Jaxon was more seriously injured. He suffered first and second degree burns to his face and was flown to Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. His older brother Jameson suffered less severe burns to his legs.

Both boys were transferred to Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston.

MORE LOCAL NEWS FROM CBS BOSTON