FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2004
Release # 05-028
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contacts: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052 or Eric Criss, (301) 504-7908
New CPSC Burn Center Reporting System Provides First Year of Data
Clothing-Related Burn Injuries to Children Often Involve Gasoline
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The first full year of data from the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) National Burn Center Reporting System
shows that gasoline and other flammable liquids are frequently involved
in clothing-related burns to children. In a new report (pdf), CPSC staff
reviewed 209 children's clothing burn injury reports received from March
2003 through June 2004 and found that more than one-half involved
gasoline or other flammable liquids.
"One of CPSC's top priorities is fire safety," CPSC Chairman Hal
Stratton said. "The high number of children's burns involving gasoline
is shocking. Parents need to know about this serious hazard and keep
gasoline and other flammable liquids away from children."
Developed in cooperation with the American Burn Association and Shriners
Hospitals for Children, the CPSC's National Burn Center Reporting System
collects comprehensive reports on clothing-related burns to children
under age 15 from the 105 burn centers that treat children. These
incidents involve the ignition, melting or smoldering of clothing worn
by children.
To support this effort, the National Association of State Fire Marshals
works cooperatively with CPSC to retrieve and preserve children's
clothing involved in burn injuries - an action that greatly enhances the
investigative process. Garments collected by fire officials are
forwarded to CPSC headquarters for inspection. At the suggestion of the
NASFM, a committee consisting of the National Volunteer Fire Council,
National Fire Protection Association, the International Association of
Fire Chiefs and NASFM developed a protocol for use by "first responders"
across the country.
For each incident reported, the burn center provides CPSC with
preliminary information on the incident. A CPSC investigator is assigned
to the case to conduct an in-depth investigation, interviewing the
victim when possible, as well as parents, fire officials and medical
personnel. All reports are reviewed and maintained in CPSC's
epidemiological databases.
Here are some highlights from the CPSC staff report on the first year's
data collected through the National Burn Center Reporting System:
*Of the 213 victims, 179 were injured while wearing daywear. Shirts,
pants and combinations of garments were most frequently involved in the
incidents.
*No incidents appear to have involved tight-fitting children's sleepwear
or infant garments sized 9 months or smaller.
*The most frequent ignition source was an outdoor fire, involved in 62
of the 209 incidents, followed by lighters in 37 of the incidents.
*More than one-half (107) of the 209 incidents involved flammable
liquids. Boys, ages 10 to 14, comprised most of the victims. Many of
these incidents were also associated with outdoor fires. Gasoline was
the most frequently reported flammable liquid involved in these
incidents.