Seven-year-old dies after fondue accident

20 January 2015 - 10:49 By Sapa
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Cheese fondue. File photo.
Cheese fondue. File photo.
Image: Gallo Images/Thinkstock

The seven-year-old boy who suffered serious burns after firelighter gel for a fondue exploded, has died from his injuries, according to a media report.

Arno van Greunen had suffered 45 percent burns on his body after the gel exploded in father Schalk's hands as he lit a fondue flame. The boy had been walking past his father at the time, the Beeld newspaper reported.

His mother Bernadine posted on Facebook: "Our Arno became a little angel this morning," according to the Afrikaans daily.

He died in hospital at 5am on Monday ahead of a planned skin transplant operation.

The Hero Burn Foundation, which had been supporting the family, said his organs had collapsed.

Spokeswoman Elsabé Coetzer said people with burn injuries lost a lot of water, forcing their organs to work harder.

He had been a pupil at Voorwaarts Primary School in Meyerton.

"It is extremely painful and a huge blow for us," his principal Rudi Steenkamp said.

Neither of the boy's parents were available for comment.

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