MA Woman Burned While Lighting Brush Pile

STOUGHTON – A woman who lit a pile of yard debris on fire suffered serious burns Thursday evening when it ignited due to an accelerant, officials said.

Stoughton police received a 911 call about 5:45 p.m. reporting a possible propane tank explosion in the area of Turnpike and Third streets.

The Stoughton Fire Department responded and found a large fire in a backyard, with a woman nearby suffering from burns.

“People were burning yard debris and when the fire flared up, it burnt one of the persons at the house,” Stoughton Deputy Fire Chief Greg Goldberg told The Enterprise Friday.

A woman, described as being in her early 30s, who was not identified, lit a pile of tree branches and other debris that was doused in gasoline, officials said.

“The person had burns that were significant enough to fly her into Boston,” Goldberg said.

Firefighters called a medical helicopter, which flew the woman to a Boston hospital from the football field at Stoughton High School.

“The burns were over 20 percent of the body and also possible inhalation burns,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg said firefighters were able to easily extinguish the yard fire.

Outside burning is not currently allowed, but Goldberg said he believes the residents were just unaware of the open burning laws.

The original call to police was made from a resident in the area who didn’t witness the actual incident and said it may have been caused by an explosion.

“It was a propane gas fire, but there was no explosion,” Goldberg said.

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