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It has been four weeks since two year old, Tristan Cormier, was admitted to Hospital with second and third degree burns that covered his entire body after a fire pit incident.

According to Tristan’s grandmother, Sheila LeBlanc, his parents were cleaning up their yard and put some of the debris in a backyard fire pit. The family then roasted marshmallows before putting the fire out with water and going inside for the evening.

The next day, Tristan was playing with his grandfather when he tripped while pushing one of his trucks and fell hands-first into the fire pit. Even though it had been around 16 hours since they had put out the fire, and he was picked up within 30 seconds of the fall, Tristan was severely burned.

“My father was holding my son frantically and all I could see was just ashes everywhere and I instantly as a mom just took him inside and called 911,” Tristan’s mum, Shelley Cormier, told Global News.

Tristan underwent surgery for the burns and had skin removed from his back to replace the damaged tissue on his arm and hand. Tristan’s family removed the fire pit and replaced it with a play structure for when Tristan is feeling better, and his mum shared what she wished she had known on Facebook Live.

“[Fire] can burn up to 24 to 48 hours afterwards, depending on the temperature outside and the type of fire pit you’re using,” she said. “It was definitely a shock to see.”

According to Brian Levesque, a fire prevention officer with the City of Edmonton, people don’t realize just how hot fires can remain, even after you think it’s been extinguished.

“If it looks like it is out but they’re not 100 percent sure, the best thing to do is to add more water, give it a really good stir, add more water, stir it again, and add more water. Just to be sure, to make sure it’s really well flooded,” he told Global News.

“You don’t want any smoke. You don’t want to hear any popping. You don’t want to hear any hissing. You don’t want to see any steam coming off the wood anymore.”

As Tristan continues to recover, Shelley hopes that people share his story. “I would never ever, ever, ever want another parent to have to go and witness the pain I’ve seen my child in, and I would never want a child to experience that pain,” she said. “So just be really cautious.”

Poor little man. Poor mum! We hope little Tristan is healing well.

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  • my gosh! you would think hat 16 hours later, that would have been fully cooled. poor kid though, hope he recovers well

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  • Poor little fella. I really hope his recovery is a success and his skin grafts take well.

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  • Just an accident. Poor little guy. Glad he is on the mend. Stay strong Mumma.

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  • Thank you for the information. The poor little boy.

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  • We have a wood fire inside and a few times I thought it had gone out a day or so ago and gone to light it again only to find hot coals still burning under the ash. Outside fires should always be triple checked before leaving them.

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  • I know people who have a fire pit. They have a special grille they put over the top after use.

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  • Oh my goodness, I felt sick reading this and seeing this poor little man’s suffering. His poor parents too, must feel so bad. Hope he has a speedy recovery.

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  • When we used to camp down the beach we always put the fire out with water. I knew it would still be warm but didn’t realise how long it could take to get cold. I’m so sorry about the pain your son has had to go through. Here’s wishing him a speedy recovery.

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  • Wow that’s amazing after dousing it with water and leaving it overnight, I would have thought it’d be safe!

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  • This is so frightening. I know people who love fire pits, but it’s something I really fear. We don’t have one, but I know many people who do and I do try to steer clear as much as possible. It’s the idea of what they can do – all of the potential dangers that I fear.

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  • Wow, how surprising that there was still enough heat in the unlit fire pit to cause such burns. I hope little Tristan recovers fully.

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  • Oh dear, poor wee man and poor family indeed ! Dangers are in little corners indeed.
    Hope and pray he’ll recover totally and soon.

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  • Poor little chap …praying for a successful and speedy recovery.

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  • Oh! Poor little one! After 16 hours!!
    I wish him a speed recovery!!

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  • What a dreadful accident. You just can’t be too careful.

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