May 20, 2008 11:00 pm US/Eastern
SHOCK: Indoor Barbecue Turns Tragic In Manhattan
9-Year-Old Burned Over 70 Percent Of His Body After Doctor Uses Rubbing Alcohol On Grill Inside Her Office
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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A 9-year-old boy was burned over 70 percent of his body after a parent throwing a slumber party decided to barbecue indoors and use rubbing alcohol to start the flame.
CBS
A slumber party on Friday turned tragic after a fire left one child badly burned.
Authorities say a dentist was throwing a barbecue inside her Manhattan office when she accidentally started the fire.
The horror handyman Berat Kurtshi witnessed in the kitchen on Friday is something he hopes no one else ever has to go through a 9-year-old boy burned by fire.
"To me looked very bad. You see half body," Kurtshi said. "I saw half body all red
skin come out."
Police say child dentist Rhonda Kavee was throwing her son and 19 other kids a slumber party at her Murray Hill office when things went horribly wrong.
"Outside in the hallway, two or three kids yelling, 'Please help! Fire! Fire!'" Kurtshi said.
According to her office manager, Dr. Kavee decided to have a barbecue inside because of the rain. And to get the fire going police say she poured rubbing alcohol on the grill.
This created a fireball that burned two boys. One was treated and released from the hospital. The other, Josh Blank, suffered burns to more than 70 percent of his body. It was a shocking accident that has traumatized everyone involved.
"She is not doing too well," office manager Joseline Rivera said. "I spoke with her this morning and she sounded really, really hurt. She doesn't sound (like) herself."
The 9-year-old is still being treated at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Meanwhile, the NYPD is still investigating what happened. No charges have been brought yet against Dr. Kavee.
Kavee's office manager told CBS 2 HD that the doctor burned her hands while trying to put the fire out.
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