The State Fire Marshal says one of the people attending a birthday party in Ware added a flammable liquid to a burn barrel and when it exploded in seriously injured four people.
According to State FIre Marshal Peter Ostroskey one of the burn victims has been treated and released from the hospital. One was taken to a Worcester hospital while the two most seriously injured were life flighted to a Boston Burn Unit.
Officials say the party was at 8 Dunham Road. After the flammable liquids were added to the fire, a vapor explosion occurred and lit the clothing of the four on fire.
Ware Deputy Fire Chief Ed Wloch said, “This was a horrible ending to a birthday celebration and the lives of these young people have been changed forever. They have a long road to recovery ahead of them.”
State Fire Marshal Ostroskey said, “This was the second such incident in western Massachusetts yesterday. Another man was seriously injured in West Springfield earlier in the day when he added a flammable liquid to an outdoor fire pit.”
The victim in the West Springfield fire is also in a Boston Burn Unit.