Arizona Woman Dies From Burn Injuries After Boyfriend Ignites Fire Pit With Gasoline
Tammy Dodson suffered severe burns across 53 percent of her body and died 10 days after the incident, which her family has called a 'tragic accident.'
A 58-year-old Arizona woman died from catastrophic burn injuries after her boyfriend poured gasoline onto an outdoor fire pit in an attempt to reignite it, authorities said.
Tammy Dodson was hospitalized on September 24 after the incident at her Prescott Valley home. Emergency services responded to a 911 call and found Dodson with severe injuries. She was intubated and spent her final days at a Phoenix burn center.
According to her sister, Tina Carl, Dodson and her boyfriend were sitting around a metal fire pit when the fire began to dwindle. Her boyfriend then reportedly grabbed a gas can and poured it onto the fire, causing an explosion that engulfed Dodson in flames.
Dodson suffered severe burns across 53 percent of her body. She underwent multiple surgeries and skin grafting procedures, but her condition worsened due to a severe infection. Doctors informed her children that she had unusual airway swelling, posing risks for a tracheostomy, and warned of potential limb amputations and years of rehabilitation if she survived.
Her family made the decision to stop life-sustaining treatment due to the uncertain quality of life she would have post-recovery. Dodson died on October 4, surrounded by her family, one day before her 59th birthday.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office ruled Dodson’s death as accidental, citing complications of thermal injuries. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not yet stated whether charges will be filed against the boyfriend, who suffered minor injuries in the incident.
Dodson was a certified nursing assistant at the local Veterans Affairs system and a mother of two and grandmother of three. Her family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover medical and funeral expenses.
'I don’t want anybody ever to throw gasoline or igniting sources onto fires,' Carl told AZ Family. 'That’s just beyond my comprehension. I’m very angry. She should not have been taken from us the way she was.'