Mum and daughter severely burned in birthday party explosion
A mother and daughter were nearly killed when a decorative burner exploded and engulfed them in flames in a freak accident at a birthday party last month.
Kate Collins and her daughter, Eva, 5, were sitting opposite the device when the host filled it up with liquid ethanol, causing it to blast into a giant fireball, Nine News reported.
The pair were chatting with friends at a home in Port Kennedy, near Perth, on April 27 when the burner exploded, leaving them and two others with burns.
Mrs Collins was rushed to Fiona Stanley Hospital and Eva to Perth Children’s Hospital, where she nearly died five days later when her bloodstream turned septic.
Nine reported Eva suffered burns to 20 per cent of her body and required several surgeries for her injuries, which included third-degree burns down her left arm and torso.
Her mother, who has since been discharged, received burns to 15 per cent of her body, particularly down her legs, arms and hands.
Eva has been stabilised but was expected to remain in hospital for several weeks.
Her parents have issued a warning to others in the hope of avoiding future accidents, urging households to stop using burners and to throw them out.
“If we stop this happening to even one more family it will have been worth it,” Mrs Collins told the publication.
The mother has had to temporarily close her teething toy business, Nature Bubz, as she waits for her hands to heal, which she was told could take two years.
Those wanting to support the family financially can make donations to its Go Fund Me page.
Portable decorative ethanol burners have been banned from sale across Australia since July 2017.
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