7-year-old boy burned in fire after science experiment with household items goes wrong

LAKE WORTH, Fla. — A family is speaking for the first time after a science experiment sent a 7-year-old boy to the hospital with serious burns in Lake Worth.

Read more Trump signs sweeping Russia sanctions bill, aiming to choke off funds for Moscow in Ukraine war

Elian Flores and his 11-year-old brother, Benji, were playing scientists in a bathroom at their home when they mixed several household items.

The brothers mixed hand sanitizer, soap and rubbing alcohol. Then, a lighter came into the picture.

Seconds later, Elian’s shirt caught fire.

The frantic 911 call came into a nearby fire station, and emergency responders headed to the boy’s home. They were only a couple of minutes away.

Elian was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, nearly two hours away.

Family members surrounded him with love and prayers as he was discharged from Ryder.

His family said Elian was covered in blisters after the fire, including on his face and body.

Read more Trump has a deal to build US military presence in Greenland while leaving island in Denmark’s hands

“It was a lot,” his brother Donnie Flores said. “Like every day he had to go through the cleaning, changing of bandages.”

The fire caused burns to Elian’s face, chest, right arm and knee.

As his younger brother was on fire, Donnie Flores knew to get him into the shower as quickly as possible.

Now, Elian is back home and still finding ways to thank the people supporting him.

“Thank you for the love and support,” he said from his hospital room.

His family has started a GoFundMe to help with his recovery, including bandages, medicine and treatment for his burns.

Elian is expected to make a full recovery, though he has a lot of physical therapy ahead.

Read more UN appoints US agriculture official Luke Lindberg to head the World Food Program