It all started Wednesday night when the San Bernardino Fire Department received a frantic and unclear call about a burn victim in the 1200 block of Oriole Road.
Responding officials found no active flames when they arrived, but they found a pre-teen girl with significant burns to approximately 20 percent of her body, including her face.
The girl was treated and stabilized by paramedics on scene and flown to an area burn center.
Upon investigation, authorities discovered that three girls had removed gasoline from an all-terrain vehicle, stored it in a glass jar and took it to a playhouse in the backyard of an area residence. Officials say the girls then lit the fuel on fire, but ended up knocking over the glass when an approaching adult startled them.
One girl's clothes caught fire, which the other girls and the adult smothered with a blanket. However, the fire already had caused injuries to the girl.
San Bernardino fire officials cautioned adults to discuss fire safety with their children, so such accidents are avoided. For more information about talking to minors about fire danger, visit www.safekids.org/fire.
