'It was just one person's stupid mistake'
SEATTLE -- A rite of passage and a round of celebration quickly became a medical emergency after an accident at a West Seattle bonfire.
Dozens of teenagers had gathered there to celebrate high school graduation when one of them did something to cause an explosion.
"We're all really good kids," said Vanessa Church. "We weren't meaning for everything to go wrong."
But something somehow did go wrong on Alki Beach Monday night where a group of seniors from Federal Way's Thomas Jefferson High School had gathered to celebrate.
The incident happened just 48 hours after Church and her friends received their diplomas. They went rollerblading in West Seattle and then met up with other students to take part in tradition -- burning homework to mark the end of high school.
But this year, the tradition turned terribly wrong, when firefighters say one of the teens poured something flammable onto the fire, causing an explosion.
"He kept throwing gasoline, each time we would put more homework on, and no one was really comfortable with that," Church said. "We were all just weirded out by it... but no one was telling him to stop because we didn’t think it would turn out bad."
Then came the explosion.
"The next thing I heard was a big 'pop,' " Church said. "And then I felt like gasoline went on me first, like my legs -- and then the fire came on to me."
She and four others were burned in an instant.
"I felt like I saw everyone just, like, running, and there was, like, five of us on fire," she said.
The fire singed her hair and leapt at her legs -- a painful blow for a runner who will compete on her college team next year at Spokane Falls Community College.
"I ran into the water after my friend pushed me into the sand," she said. "That helped a little bit but my legs were burning so bad. I was hyperventilating, and my friends were crowding around and hugging me and telling me it was going to be OK."
Also injured were her friends Matt Chi, Kyle Byquist, and Tamarra McCain. All four were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle but have since been released.
"It was just one person's stupid mistake," Church said. "It could've caused a lot more damage. I'm surprised only five of us were hurt but I'm really happy we're all OK."
Seattle police say they found no evidence of drinking at the event, other than on the part of the person who poured the accelerant, who they say was visibly intoxicated.
"They're all just good kids," said Kathy Byquist, grandmother of Kyle Byquist, one of the victims. She added that her grandson was headed to college in California in the fall to study music.
Law enforcement sources have identified that man as 18-year-old Marshall Herrick. He too was burned in the fire and was taken to Harborview where he remained Tuesday evening.
A prosecutor will decide whether to file charges.
Dozens of teenagers had gathered there to celebrate high school graduation when one of them did something to cause an explosion.
"We're all really good kids," said Vanessa Church. "We weren't meaning for everything to go wrong."
But something somehow did go wrong on Alki Beach Monday night where a group of seniors from Federal Way's Thomas Jefferson High School had gathered to celebrate.
The incident happened just 48 hours after Church and her friends received their diplomas. They went rollerblading in West Seattle and then met up with other students to take part in tradition -- burning homework to mark the end of high school.
But this year, the tradition turned terribly wrong, when firefighters say one of the teens poured something flammable onto the fire, causing an explosion.
"He kept throwing gasoline, each time we would put more homework on, and no one was really comfortable with that," Church said. "We were all just weirded out by it... but no one was telling him to stop because we didn’t think it would turn out bad."
Then came the explosion.
"The next thing I heard was a big 'pop,' " Church said. "And then I felt like gasoline went on me first, like my legs -- and then the fire came on to me."
She and four others were burned in an instant.
"I felt like I saw everyone just, like, running, and there was, like, five of us on fire," she said.
The fire singed her hair and leapt at her legs -- a painful blow for a runner who will compete on her college team next year at Spokane Falls Community College.
"I ran into the water after my friend pushed me into the sand," she said. "That helped a little bit but my legs were burning so bad. I was hyperventilating, and my friends were crowding around and hugging me and telling me it was going to be OK."
Also injured were her friends Matt Chi, Kyle Byquist, and Tamarra McCain. All four were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle but have since been released.
"It was just one person's stupid mistake," Church said. "It could've caused a lot more damage. I'm surprised only five of us were hurt but I'm really happy we're all OK."
Seattle police say they found no evidence of drinking at the event, other than on the part of the person who poured the accelerant, who they say was visibly intoxicated.
"They're all just good kids," said Kathy Byquist, grandmother of Kyle Byquist, one of the victims. She added that her grandson was headed to college in California in the fall to study music.
Law enforcement sources have identified that man as 18-year-old Marshall Herrick. He too was burned in the fire and was taken to Harborview where he remained Tuesday evening.
A prosecutor will decide whether to file charges.
