An 8-year-old boy sustained severe burns to his arms, neck, and face when a portable tabletop fire pit exploded during a family camping trip in Oceanside, California.
The incident occurred in late June when the Peterson family was roasting marshmallows around a FlikrFire fireplace. According to a GoFundMe page set up by family friends, the device "exploded when lit, setting Brock on fire." Brock Peterson suffered full-depth second-degree burns and was airlifted to a hospital. His father also sustained second-degree burns on his hands while attempting to extinguish the flames.
Brock spent 19 days in the ICU burn unit and underwent skin graft surgery. His younger siblings, ages 6 and 4, and his mother, Amanda, witnessed the accident.
The FlikrFire is a portable fireplace fueled by isopropyl rubbing alcohol. The product was previously sold on Amazon but was recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in December 2024. Prior to the recall, the tabletop fire pit had been linked to two deaths and at least 60 injuries since 2019. Canadian officials also recalled the product in 2023 following reports of flame jetting that resulted in burn injuries.