12-Year-Old Boy Suffers Severe Burns After His Brother Set Him on Fire While Playing With Gasoline

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An Ohio community is in shock after two brothers were discovered playing with gasoline. As they played with the gasoline, they were also playing with fire, which of course, could lead to fatal consequences.

Thankfully, even though things could have ended tragically, they didn’t. One of the boys was hurt, but survived the incident. The other is now facing time in a juvenile detention center.

The incident happened on Saturday, June 14, 2025, around 8:20 p.m., WDTN reported. Clark County Sgt. Scott Elliott, said that a group of young kids were lighting fires and burning things. While it was initially unknown whether the incident was intentional, WHIO reported that deputies learned they played with gasoline for “whatever reason,” and it appears the boy lit his 12-year-old brother on fire intentionally. 

“I need a medic … He got burned on his back really bad … him and his brother were playing with gasoline and fire,” the 911 caller told dispatchers, the Springfield News-Sun reported. The boy could be heard crying and yelling in the background.

According to Lt. Kristopher Shultz of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, it’s unknown where the boys got the gasoline. One of the boys suffered second- and third-degree burns. He was eventually taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital. Schultz said that while the boy’s injuries were severe, they weren’t life-threatening.

“Based on the circumstances of the purposeful throwing of the gasoline and the purposeful lighting of the gasoline, we did make one arrest of a juvenile for felonious assault and aggravated arson, and he was housed at the Juvenile Detention Center,” Schultz said.

Locals spoke with WHIO about the incident, expressing shock that such a thing could have happened. “It’s very sad and disturbing to hear,” resident Deborah Taylor said. “I mean gasoline, yeah, and to get a hold of it like that, to throw it and to even think you don’t think that’s not going to hurt?”

“It’s crazy. It’s made me cry, man,” resident Bruce Mitchell said. “Hope they make it, man. I’m gonna pray for him.”

“It’s always concerning when juveniles are playing with fire and gasoline,” Clark County Sgt. Scott Elliott said to WDTN. “No one should play with fire. Adults should be the only ones handling gasoline.”