South Florida boy severely burned by sparklers on NYE set to leave hospital

A South Florida boy who’s been hospitalized since sparklers left him severely burned on New Year’s Eve will be heading home soon.

“I was playing with my cousin with the fireworks,” 9-year-old Santiago Claudio said.

Claudio said he went to light his cousin’s sparklers to celebrate the New Year and the burning sparkler came too close to his chest, igniting his shirt.

“I put it close to my shirt, and then it went from too little to too big,” Claudio said.

The damaged shirt is a reminder of the 9-year-old’s close call and the tragic accident that left him with third-degree burns. He’s been recovering for weeks in the burn unit at HCA Kendall Hospital.

“He sustained about 18 percent total body surface area burns, third-degree, full-thickness burns, meaning all components of the skin were burned,” said Dr. Haaris Mir, medical director of the burn unit at HCA Kendall Hospital.

Mir, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, said doctors at the largest burn unit in Miami-Dade County used skin grafts and spray-on skin to help heal both the donor areas and the burned skin on Claudio’s chest and abdomen.

“Right now, I feel good. I don’t feel any pain,” Claudio said.

Claudio’s experience is a powerful reminder that even sparklers, often seen as harmless and popular with children, can cause serious injuries.

“Even a simple sparkler that you’re holding in your hand can burn much hotter than a regular flame from a match,” Mir explained.

Claudio said he didn’t take off his shirt during the accident because he was afraid the flames could burn his hair.

Doctors said in situations like this, remembering a few critical steps can make all the difference.

“The first thing to do is stop, drop, and roll on the ground,” Mir said. “Then, if possible, cover the person with a large blanket to stop the flames from getting oxygen.”

Now, Claudio is expected to head home in just days after making his hospital room feel like home, surrounded by his favorite characters.

But there’s no place like home.

“I want to see my room,” he said.

He’s taking home a powerful lesson.

“Do not use fireworks,” Claudio said. “Just watch them from far away.”

Claudio is expected to go home on Wednesday. February 1st begins National Burn Awareness Week, and doctors hope his story serves as a reminder of how quickly these accidents can happen, and how preventable they are.