SIX YEAR-OLD FALLS FROM BOARDWALK
<-- nps photo
<-- GRAND GEYSER
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-- A child was burned in Yellowstone National Park, Saturday evening and was taken by ambulance to West Yellowstone, Montana. The young boy was then flown to the Burn Center at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. YNP news release reproduced below.
Young Boy Burned Near Old Faithful
A young boy from Utah was burned Saturday evening after falling into water from a recently erupted geyser in Yellowstone National Park.
The six year old is from South Jordan, Utah. The boy, his parents, and two older siblings had entered the park earlier in the day, pitched camp at Madison Campground, and then traveled to the Old Faithful area.
The family had just watched an eruption of Grand Geyser around 6:00 p.m. The boy was playing and walking along on the wet boardwalk when he slipped and fell into hot water runoff from nearby West Triplet Geyser, which had also recently erupted.
He was pulled from the water after suffering burns to his arms and legs. A park ranger was nearby and immediately summoned Old Faithful rangers who responded to the scene with an ambulance and paramedic. The boy was taken to the Old Faithful Clinic where his condition was stabilized. He was then transported by ambulance to the West Yellowstone, Montana airport and flown by fixed wing air ambulance to the Burn Center at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. His current condition is unavailable.
The Utah boy is the first person to receive severe thermal burns this summer in Yellowstone National Park. Visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and designated trails and exercise caution as many thermal features are near or above boiling temperatures.
Yellowstone National Park News Release
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2006 06-31
