Two toddlers suffered severe burns Thursday afternoon when a stove overturned and spilled hot water on them, Mt. Prospect Fire Department officials said.
A 17-month-old boy suffered second-degree burns to 40 percent of his body in the incident at an apartment in the 1100 block of Boxwood Lane, said Rich Doubek, the Fire Department’s public education officer.
The boy was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge and airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, fire officials said.
A 22-month-old girl suffered second-degree burns on one of her feet and was taken to Loyola by ambulance, fire officials said.
“Our understanding is the stove tipped over and the hot liquids, including boiling water, and some hot food fell down upon (the children),” Doubek said. “Apparently, they were playing around the stove.”
A woman who was watching the children at the time of the incident told paramedics that she had “just turned her back on the little girl,” said Fire Chief Mike Figolah.