ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — A 9-year-old child remains in critical condition after a fire sparked by an indoor s’mores-making kit broke out in a Laurel home on Monday afternoon.
The Anne Arundel Fire Department reported receiving a call about a fire in the living room of a home in the 8500 block of Crooked Tree Lane. Crews from Fort Meade Fire & Emergency Services and Howard County Fire & Rescue also responded.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, preventing the fire from spreading further. Emergency responders treated a woman and the 9-year-old, both of whom sustained burns. The child was transported to Johns Hopkins Pediatric Facility with life-threatening injuries, while the woman was treated at the scene and released.
Investigators from the Anne Arundel County Fire and Explosives Unit determined the fire was caused by an “indoor ignitable liquid flame kit commonly used for making s’mores.”
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning on Dec. 19 about the risks associated with alcohol- or liquid-fuel-burning fire pits, which are often used indoors. These devices require fuel, such as isopropyl alcohol, to be poured into an open container and ignited.
The CPSC noted that such fuels can produce flames exceeding 1,600°F, causing severe burns in under a second. Since 2019, these devices have been linked to at least 60 injuries and two deaths.
One particular danger, referred to as “flame jetting,” occurs when fuel is added to a fire pit with a small, hard-to-see flame still present. This can lead to an explosion, projecting flames and burning liquid onto users or bystanders.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident, and safety officials urge caution when using such products indoors.
