Science experiment goes wrong: boy burned over half of his body

While most 12-year-old boys might be playing outside or practicing a sport, Barrett McKim was learning science. He is always watching YouTube videos or readings books to continue to expand his knowledge.

He is constantly testing the new things he learned in his house by carrying out experiments. However, his latest experiment sent him to the hospital.

On June 23, Barrett had decided to perform an experiment in the front room of their home. He was working with fool’s gold and was testing things he had read about that would cause it to change colors or spark.

“He’s worked with different rocks and minerals a lot and loves heating different ones up,” said Kyle McKim, Barrett’s father.

But what happened next was unimaginable: Barrett’s experiment caused an explosion, burning 50% of his body.

“We don’t know if that was sparked by one of the sparks from the rocks or something with the Bunsen burner,” McKim said. “We’ve looked at the lighter which seems like maybe it had a faulty connection. We don’t really know what ignited the accident, but it exploded up into his face and is what created the burn.”

Barrett has burns primarily on his lower face, neck, torso, arms, hands, shoulders, and thighs. Most of the burns are second-degree burns, but others are third-degree burns.  

12-year-old boy in unimaginable pain after at-home science experiment goes wrong https://t.co/JWTlbqGVE4 pic.twitter.com/L5gmwEdC2T

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“We feel very grateful that he had the goggles on for this accident because it did protect some of his face and certainly his eyes,” McKim said.

When the explosion happened, his mother, Caroline, was in the next room. After seeing her son on fire, she immediately tried to get his shirt off and soaked him in water. She sustained second and third-degree burns to her hands. 

“Barrett runs out of the room, and he’s on fire. My wife was burnt, some on her hands as well, trying to just get the fire out and remove the shirt from Barrett,” McKim said.

While Barrett managed to survive the failed experiment, his parents think it will most likely be a long, exhausting battle from now on.

“Most likely it will be a year or so before Barrett is back into the swing of things,” McKim said. “Even with the healing of the skin, there’s just a whole other dynamic of the movement and stretching and the physical therapy that is of a real focus as well.”

However, McKim said that he expects his son to recover properly and hopes that his passion for science will continue, despite the freak accident.

“I think he will continue to have a love for that, and we will certainly encourage it,” he added.