A 10-year-old Cork boy was in a serious condition at Cork University Hospital last night after suffering extensive burns during a freak accident. The boy, from the Douglas area, was playing with friends at a construction site when they started a bonfire.
One of the group threw what appeared to be a disused drum on the fire, but it turned out to contain a chemical compound which then exploded, causing severe burns to the boy. Neighbours put out the flames and called an ambulance.