A man in Maine has died after he sustained serious injuries falling into a fire pit, according to officials.
Daniel Albert, 68, died on Tuesday, just over a month after he fell into a fire pit at his home in Chelsea, south of the state capital, Augusta.
Albert was discovered with serious injuries by a family member at around 6:30 p.m. on April 6, according to The Bangor Daily News.
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He was taken to the Maine Medical Center in Portland and had burns across 45 percent of his body, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety (MDPS).
Newsweek has contacted the MDPS for comment via email.
Officials said Albert succumbed to his injuries at around 12:40 a.m. on Tuesday, The Daily News continued.
Open fires can pose a risk and Firepits U.K. suggests people should follow its advice to ensure safety. This includes:
- Ensure a spark will not reach anything flammable.
- Keep a supply of water to hand in case you need to damp down the fire.
- Always use protective gloves when handling things such as BBQ racks.
- Ensure your fire pit is out (or put the lid on) before leaving it unattended.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 224,935 Americans died as a result of unintentional injuries in 2021.
It added that accidents were the fourth-leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2021, behind heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19.
The Mayo Clinic stated while most minor burns can be treated at home, serious wounds require more intensive treatment.
It added: “For serious burns, after appropriate first aid and wound assessment, your treatment may involve medications, wound dressings, therapy and surgery.
“The goals of treatment are to control pain, remove dead tissue, prevent infection, reduce scarring risk, and regain function.”
There have been numerous instances across the U.S. where people have died while around fires in homes.
In 2019, a Milwaukee man died after he attempted to light fires inside his home in a bid to stay warm when electricity was switched off.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office said in its report: “Subject was lighting fires in various containers in his home to stay warm after the electricity was turned off.”
It was not known how long the power had been off inside the man’s house. According to local news outlet WISN, a gas meter on the side of the home indicated that We Energies had inspected it on November 13 of that year. He was last seen by a neighbor on December 15 and discovered dead three days later.