Debris pile burns 9-year-old boy

Newson6.com

People all over are still cleaning up from the December ice storm.  Many are burning piles of downed limbs.  News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports a mishap in Catoosa is a painful reminder of the danger of debris piles.

A Catoosa third grader is in the hospital with severe burns.  He was injured on a burning debris pile.  Whether it's on public or private property, it's a good reminder for all of us to be careful.

Josh Nimmo hopes to get out of Hillcrest Hospital soon.  Nine days in the hospital are more than enough for any nine year old.

"It's a lot of pain.  It's a lot of frustration, he's nine years old.  Nine year olds are not meant to lay in a bed 24 hours a day," said Josh's mom, Annissa Dejarnett.

Josh and a friend were hitting golf balls at the Rodger Berry Sports Complex in Catoosa when they decided to climb what they thought was a pile of gravel.  It was actually an ash pile, and still hot underneath.

"He got about three steps up and his feet sank into it and the hot ashes went into his shoes," said Josh's mom, Annissa Dejarnett.

"Little scraps of my feet were just peeling off, and I started screaming and it just started burning even worse," said Josh Nimmo.

Josh ended up with second and third degree burns.  He's had skin grafts on each foot.

His mom believes the accident could have been prevented.  She says the burn piles didn't have any type of barricades or warning signs.

"Most of the time children should be supervised, but in an environment like that, at a public park you have a reasonable expectation of safety, things are going to be marked off," said Josh's mom, Annissa Dejarnett.

Since the incident, Catoosa has put warning tape around burn piles at the park.

For Josh, he still has a few more days in the hospital and a lot of physical therapy in his future.  But, doctors think he'll make a full recovery.

"I think it is horrible.  I would hate for another child to end up in the same situation when it could be prevented," said Josh's mom, Annissa Dejarnett.

"I don't want to be here at all.  It's painful," said Josh Nimmo.

Josh's mom says his first question in the emergency room was whether he would be able to play football this fall.

He's expected to be able to start practice with the rest of the team this summer.

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