Families share different versions of events in La Ronge fire

The family of an eight-year-old burn victim says they couldn’t recognize him after an incident involving a gasoline fire in La Ronge over the weekend.

The incident involves three children under the age of 12. Conflicting reports on what happened have since surfaced.

According to La Ronge EMS, two children – a brother and sister, ages eight and 11 – were found with burn injuries in the Northern Saskatchewan community on June 11. Paramedics said the pair were taken to hospital after being doused in gasoline and set on fire.

Saskatchewan RCMP said the siblings were injured following an altercation with a third child, a boy around the age of 11.

APTN reporter Larissa Burnouf interviewed the grandmother of the two injured children, who said the kids were walking home when they were attacked by another child.

Burnouf said she saw a photo of the eight-year-old boy following the incident, and described him as looking purple and covered in burns.

Family reportedly told Burnouf the 11-year-old girl received minor burns to her face and singed hair.

No information has been released by authorities as to the extent of the children’s injuries or their condition.

Burnouf told 650 CKOM the incident allegedly happened between midnight and 1 a.m. Sunday on the Air Ronge Bridge.

Burnouf also spoke to the woman who came across the children and called 911. She told the reporter the siblings said a third child attacked them and lit them on fire.

The mother of the accused child recently spoke with CTV and said the three kids were friends and had been playing with gasoline at the time.

The boy is now in the custody of social services. Since he is under the age of 12, he can’t be charged by the RCMP.

La Ronge is located 200 kilometres north of Prince Albert.

– With files from 650 CKOM’s Brent Bosker.