Child Suffers Thermal Burns In Yellowstone, Life-Flighted To Idaho

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By Ellen Fike, Cowboy State Daily

A three-year-old was burned on Friday near the Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park.

The child took off running from the trail, slipped and fell into a small thermal feature on Friday morning, officials announced in a release. The child suffered second-degree burns to their lower body and back.

Due to the injuries, the child was life-flighted to the burn center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. The incident is under investigation.

The ground in hydrothermal areas is fragile and thin and there is scalding water just below the surface. Visitors are to remain on boardwalks and trails and exercise caution around thermal features.

This is the second significant injury in a thermal area in the park that’s occurred this year. In May, a visitor illegally entered the park while it was closed and fell into a thermal feature at Old Faithful while backing up and taking photos.

In September 2019, a man suffered severe burns after falling into thermal water near the cone of the Old Faithful geyser.

In June 2017, a man sustained severe burns after falling in a hot spring in the lower Geyser Basin. In June 2016, a man left the boardwalk and died after slipping into a hot spring in Norris Geyser Basin.

In August 2000, one person died and two other received severe burns after falling into a hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin.

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