The child suffered serious burns after a home experiment involving household products and a lighter caught his clothing on fire.
LAKE WORTH, FL — A 7-year-old boy is recovering at home after suffering serious burns when a science experiment with his older brother went wrong inside their Lake Worth home, according to family accounts and local news reports.
The Sept. 7 incident began when the children were experimenting with common household products in a bathroom, according to a fundraiser organized for the boy’s family. The materials included alcohol-based products and soap. At some point, a lighter was introduced and the younger boy’s shirt caught fire. Family accounts say an older brother quickly got him into a shower to extinguish the flames before relatives called 911.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue was called to the home late that night, BocaNewsNow.com reported. The child was first taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where he was stabilized, before being transferred to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami for specialized burn treatment. The family fundraiser said he was initially treated in the pediatric intensive care unit.
The fundraiser, created Sept. 11, said the boy suffered second-degree burns over approximately 19% of his body, including injuries to his face, abdomen, legs, arm, hand and fingers. A separate BocaNewsNow.com report described burns over more than 20% of his body. The differing estimates have not been independently reconciled, and no public medical statement providing a definitive percentage was located.
The child underwent extensive wound care and began therapy while hospitalized, according to the fundraiser. His family said doctors were monitoring how the burns healed and whether additional treatment would be needed after his release. The fundraiser also said follow-up care could include physical and occupational therapy, specialist visits, medication and continued wound treatment.
By Friday, Sept. 18, the boy had been discharged from Ryder Trauma Center and was back home, Local 10 reported after speaking with family members. The station said burns affected his face, chest, right arm and knee and that he still faced significant physical therapy as part of his recovery. His family told the station he was expected to make a full recovery.
The available reports differ on the spelling of the child’s first name. The family fundraiser identifies him as Elian, while Local 10 identified him as Ilian Flores. Because he is a minor and the spelling could not be independently resolved, this report does not rely on his name to identify him.
The family has organized an online fundraiser to help cover expenses associated with the boy’s treatment and recovery. The campaign said money would be used for medical care, wound supplies and longer-term therapy. Local 10 reported that the boy thanked supporters while he was still hospitalized.
No information reviewed indicated that authorities were treating the incident as anything other than an accidental fire. Additional details about any official investigation or fire department findings had not been publicly released as of Saturday. The boy remains at home with his family as he continues treatment and rehabilitation following his discharge.
Author note: Last updated September 19, 2026.