Urgent warning issued to parents after Victorian boy suffers horrific third-degree burns from common clothing item

A 12-year-old boy has suffered horrific third-degree burns to his body after his polyester sweater caught fire.

Victorian boy Levi Presland was playing in the backyard of his home when a spark from the cigarette lighter he was playing with landed on his sweater.

His mother, Amie Presland, explained that her son was “just” lighting the lighter when his sweater, which was made of highly flammable material, “just lit.”

His quick-thinking 14-year-old sister Megan sprang into action and dowsed her brother with the garden hose, saving his life.

“I kind of just went into action mode,” Megan said 7News.

“I looked up and saw him engulfed in flames trying to take off his sweater.”

Emergency services, including on-duty paramedics, arrived at the home within minutes.

Levi was airlifted two hours away to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, where he was immediately rushed into emergency surgery.

His quick-thinking 14-year-old sister Megan (pictured) sprang into action and dowsed her brother with the garden hose, saving his life

The young boy suffered full-thickness burns, known as third-degree burns, to his torso and armpits, and minor burns to his face and hand, which he suffered when he took off his sweater.

Levi has since undergone eight surgeries, including skin grafts where skin was taken from his thighs to treat burns on his chest.

Despite his long road to recovery, the young boy said he was “feeling really good.”

Friends of Mrs. Presland and her husband Mark started a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of Levi’s medical bills and rehabilitation.

“His parents, Mark and Amie, take turns staying with Levi in ​​hospital – impacting their ability to work and putting pressure on their finances,” the trust said.

Fund organizer and friend Stephen Ritchie explained that the couple found it particularly challenging after having to close their small business due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is particularly difficult after overcoming the challenges of small business ownership during COVID in Melbourne,” he wrote.

“They closed their business doors at Christmas 2023 and moved back to the country to be close to family support.”

“Amie’s friends started this fundraiser to help ease the tension. We recognize that this is a challenging time for many at the moment, and we hope that many small donations can help alleviate the ongoing pressure on Levi and his family.”

Mr. and Mrs. Presland want Levi’s story to help other parents understand and recognize the dangers of synthetic clothing.

In 2023, more than a thousand children aged 15 and younger were admitted to burn units across the country.

Parents are being warned to check the labels on their children’s clothes and beware of materials such as polyester and nylon, as the synthetics melt as soon as they ignite.

Parents are also urged to choose clothes with low fire hazard labels and teach their children the ‘stop, drop, cover and roll’ drill in case their clothes catch fire.

It comes after a number of major brands recalled children’s clothing after the items failed to meet safety guidelines and regulations.

Levi has undergone eight operations to treat his burns, with his parents hoping their son’s story will help parents recognize the dangers of synthetic clothing

Retail giant H&M recalled a one-piece pajama set in July this year after the sleepwear product did not have the required fire hazard label.

In the same month, the company behind popular loungewear brand The Oodie was fined for failing to put fire hazard warning labels on several of its products.

The The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has fined Davie Clothing $101,280 for the safety breach.

Between September 2022 and July 2023, more than 2,460 children’s ‘Beach Oodies’ were found not to contain high fire hazard warning labels.

Earlier this year, Kmart recalled a sleepwear set because it did not have the correct fire hazard label and posed a serious risk of burns to children.

Target also recalled some of its pajama sets in early 2023 because the material posed a fire hazard.

In 2022, Kathmandu recalled its children’s hooded towel following the ACCC’s finding that the product ‘did not meet the labeling requirements of the mandatory safety standards for children’s nightwear’.