Bret Ruff
Belen Fire Chief
BELEN—A young, Belen boy and his stepfather are being treated in a Texas hospital for severe burns they received at their home on Sunday evening.
Belen Fire Chief Bret Ruff said firefighters responded to a call about 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 18, to a home on Camino del Llano.
“The case is still under investigation, but it looks like the 10-year-old boy might have been playing with gas,” Ruff said. “We’re not sure how he got the gasoline on him. The stepfather was trying to either put the fire out or get the kid out of the flames when he was injured.”
Ruff said the two were taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, but were later transferred to specialty hospitals in Texas.
The fire chief said the boy sustained third-degree burns to 80 percent of his body. He is currently listed in critical condition. His stepfather received second-degree burns to 60 percent of his body. Ruff said the stepfather has substantial burns but is not in critical condition.
The fire chief said the incident happened outside of the family’s home, and the boy’s mother was inside, and was not injured.
The identities of the victims have not been released as the state fire marshal, the Belen fire marshal and CYFD continue to investigate the case.
Clara Garcia is the editor and publisher of the Valencia County News-Bulletin.
She is a native of the city of Belen, beginning her journalism career at the News-Bulletin in 1998 as the crime and courts reporter. During her time at the paper, Clara has won numerous awards for her writing, photography and typography and design both from the National Newspaper Association and the New Mexico Press Association.
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April 19, 2024
