12-year-old burned by fireworks, bomb squad investigating
SEATTLE – A 12-year-old boy suffered serious burns to his face and hands after fireworks ignited a blaze in a South Seattle building Saturday afternoon, according to fire officials.
Firefighters responded to the Co Lam Pagoda in the 3500 block of South Graham Street after receiving reports of a fire and explosion in the lower level of the building.
Crews managed to knock down the fire quickly, keeping it contained to one room.
Medics transported the boy to Harborview Medical Center with first-, second- and third-degree burns to his hands and face.
Detectives from Seattle's Arson/Bomb Squad believe the explosion and fire were the result of the boy and several friends playing with loose pyrotechnic powder found in the building's storage room.
Members of the bomb squad carted away stacks of fireworks from the scene.
Damage to the property is estimated at $10,000.
Detectives continue to investigate the incident.
Firefighters responded to the Co Lam Pagoda in the 3500 block of South Graham Street after receiving reports of a fire and explosion in the lower level of the building.
Crews managed to knock down the fire quickly, keeping it contained to one room.
Medics transported the boy to Harborview Medical Center with first-, second- and third-degree burns to his hands and face.
Detectives from Seattle's Arson/Bomb Squad believe the explosion and fire were the result of the boy and several friends playing with loose pyrotechnic powder found in the building's storage room.
Members of the bomb squad carted away stacks of fireworks from the scene.
Damage to the property is estimated at $10,000.
Detectives continue to investigate the incident.
where is the compassion for this boy and his family?  A 12 year old boy made very bad mistake (yes he should have know better) and is now is critical condition and will live (if he survives) the rest of his life being reminded of that decision when he is receiving skin graph after skin graph on his face and hands,  when he looks at the scares in mirror and then has to endure the cruelty of a community that writes posts things like "Darwin Award" and are pissed about the ban of Fireworks in the city. Â
Get out from behind your keyboard and go tell that boys family and he's just another candidate for the Darwin Awards and remind his family of how he is lacking common sense and how he should have known better.  Maybe you are the guy/gal who would tell a grieving family all of the above but it's likely that you're not and for some reason your feel it's okay to type cruel comments  instead of support because it somehow makes you laugh or you think this comment forum doesn't mean anything. Â
Why not use this space to support the family? Â
Why not use this space to show our compassion for a very sad situation? Â
My son will be 13 on April 1st (yikes, I feel old!) and I have always taught him how to respect fireworks. We LOVE 4th of July. Burgers and dogs on the grill, enjoying the nice warm weather, and just waiting for it to get dark enough to light off the fireworks... My son knows that fireworks aren't toys.
With that being said, these boys were believed to be "playing with loose pyrotechnic powder." I'm not sure how that works, but don't they need a lighter or something to set it off? If so, what are young kids doing with lighters?
@Tattooed_Angel2Â It isn't uncommon for elementary school kids to be smoking on a regular basis so a 12 year-old with matches or a lighter is not uncommon.
What I want to know is (a) how did this child, or children know about the fireworks being in that building and (b) was the building and/or room where the fireworks were stored unsecured? If an open building that anyone could wander about, and no doors or locks securing the fireworks, the building owner and tenants have a fair amount to answer for.
I remember awhile back, I was 10 years old in Covington, I managed to get my hands on a M80.  I remember how excited I was when I got it.  And how pumped up I was when I lit it on a back street near my grandma's house.  I ran instantly after I lit it and did not get 10 feet when it blew.  I still remember the shock-wave as it exploded.  It knocked me off my feet.  To this day I still RESPECT all fireworks. Hopefully this kid has a new-founded respect for all fireworks.  Hope he comes out ok!
Thought fireworks where illegal? What happened?
@WhatdidIsay? I bet that they were fireworks left over from the recent lunar new year celebrations.
sounds like fire officials did an out standing job thank you.and you, you taxes payers!
what's the big deal?! Kids like fireworks, and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!
And I'm sure both Komo and the local safety nannies will be trotting this kid out before the 4th, when they start on the usual fireworks are bad bs.
This makes no sense: "... after fireworks ignited a blaze in a South Seattle building...". Fireworks, generally speaking, don't ignite themselves. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that someone, most likely the kid, was lighting them first.
@mhungry a limb huh? Well, I'm pretty confident that is a pretty sturdy limb LOL. What 12 yo isnt going to play with fireworks if he has access to them?
@Susabelle @mhungry Furthermore a 12 year old generally knows better than to shoot them off indoors or right next to other things that can catch fire.
Co Lam Pagoda... Guessing the fireworks were being stored for Chinese New Years celebrations.
@Kermee Chinese New Year was February10th!
@WhatdidIsay? True, but most places celebrate it for the better part of a month.
Are they illegal to have, or illegal to use there still fun to use.They don't go off on there own, he must have known they were there. I hope he pulls through ok
@Mike So their!
@Mike My friend, you really need to learn the differences between there, their and they're.
@Furd @Mike Â
They're they're, let's be nice..........
Somebody's gonna say it, so it might as well be me:Â DARWIN AWARD.
Oh yeah - as soon as I posted it, I knew I was gonna regret it! (But when I make a really stupid post, rather than deleting it, I leave it out there and take my lumps so that I think twice next time.)
@Central: Â While I would normally, (even if just under my breath), agree with you, I think I will cut this kid a break. Â After all he is only 12 years old. Â Now if he were an older teen, say 17 or 18 or older I'd say BINGO.
@usnrbb @Central A twelve year old knows better too, it's a mistake to treat them like babies.
@Central We were actually hoping nobody WOULD say it again....
@Throbbinhood @Central Yes I thought people were taking the high road on this one but there is always one who wont.
@Central Darwin award is reserved for people that kill themselves doing stupid things.
@Furd@Central
So how are the Darwin Awards actually determined?
Nominees significantly improve the gene pool by eliminating themselves from the human race in an obviously stupid way. They are self-selected examples of the dangers inherent in a lack of common sense, and all human races, cultures, and socioeconomic groups are eligible to compete. Actual winners must meet the following criteria:
Reproduction
   Out of the gene pool: dead or sterile.
Excellence
   Astounding misapplication of judgment.
Self-Selection
   Cause one's own demise.
Maturity
   Capable of sound judgment.
Veracity
   The event must be true.Â
More @ http://www.darwinawards.com/rules/Â
Â
@Furd @Central Yea..like the teenage kid that stuck his head out the top escape hatch on a double decker bus going down the freeway last summer. That after being warned not to do it many times. He got the award and the freeway overpass a stain.
@Ankle Biter Oh - I'll have to YouTube that one. Thanks!
That's a huge amount of fireworks! What is that doing in a city where it's illegal?
@kockatoo Maybe it is a warehouse used by professional pyrotechnicians.
Hope he recovers OK but this is yet another example why we have rules and why there is a thing called common sense.
@Citizen#3457899654Â I think common sense is not fully developed in a 12 yo......... Heck, I'm not sure it's in place before 30 with the male gender where fireworks are concerned.....
@Susabelle Sadly, I have to agree with you. What do you make of 30 year olds with skateboards and lots of hip hop downloads?Â
@Citizen#3457899654 @Susabelle I try not to make anything of them at all.  Of course to me, 30 is still quite young...  I'm sure there is some young woman out there that will think this is her dream man...
And it's because of dumb kids like him or even dumb adults who act like dumb kids is why we can't use fireworks anywhere near the region anymore.
@Zoso Come now, its one portion of it but not the entire reason why fireworks are off-limits in the area.