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Prescott six-year-old boy burned in bonfire explosion

The boy's mother says a neighbor poured gasoline on the bonfire, and it exploded, burning 70 percent of the young boys body

PRESCOTT, Ariz. ( KYMA, KECY-TV ) - Six year old Carson is in critical condition after a bonfire exploded at a neighborhood gathering in Prescott, Arizona. The boy suffered second and third degree burns over more than half his body.

“I guess she went to go pour gasoline into the fire, and it went back into the gas tank and blew up," Carson's mother Chelsea Colvin said. "It ended up blowing up all over him because he was close by."

The 6-year-old was rushed to a hospital in Prescott before being flown to Valleywise hospital in Phoenix to be treated in their burn unit.

"I got there to the hospital, and Carson was in there, and I fell to my knees because he was burnt everywhere. He looked up at me and said "Mommy I'm okay, I'm okay."

Chelsea Colvin

For the first three days, Carson was in a medically induced coma. He is now awake but heavily sedated.

Though Carson is expected to make a full recovery, the road ahead will be long and difficult.

"We can't predict it because there infections, sickness, we can't just know that he is going to be okay."

"He's going to be here for months, for months at a time," Colvin said. "I'm going to be here for months with him.  I won't leave, I don't want to leave."

The woman responsible is a family friend.

"It was a neighbor," Colvin said. "She watches the kids sometimes for my ex-husband, but she loves my kids and I don't think any of this was purpose or anything like that."

Now Chelsea wants to make sure other parents know proper bonfire safety.    

"Don't use gasoline on a fire," Colvins said. "Don't do it, don't be around propane, just make sure you are aware of all your surroundings, and please just make sure your children are safe."

A GoFundMe is set up for Carson and his family for medical and other needed expenses as the 6-year-old recovers.

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Scott Gross

Scott Gross joins the KYMA team as the Anchor, CBS Sports Director, and Executive Producer.

Contact him at scott.gross@kecytv.com.

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