3 Year Old, Sebastian Reynoso, Suffers Severe Burns After Tabletop Fire Pit Malfunctions in Morgan Hill, California

A three-year-old boy, Sebastian Reynoso, suffered life-changing burns after a $15 tabletop fire pit suddenly exploded, sending flames into his face, neck, and arms.

Sebastian was making s’mores with his family on October 4 in Morgan Hill, California, when the fire pit malfunctioned, according to The Mercury News. The toddler sustained second- and third-degree burns covering more than 15% of his body and has been hospitalized for over a month.

Sebastian underwent skin graft surgery and a tracheostomy after his airway became severely swollen.

3 Year Old, Sebastian Reynoso, Suffers Severe Burns After Tabletop Fire Pit Malfunctions in Morgan Hill, California

 
3 Year Old, Sebastian Reynoso, Suffers Severe Burns After Tabletop Fire Pit Malfunctions in Morgan Hill, California

“I don’t wish this on anybody, even my worst enemy,” his father, Omar Reynoso, said. “It’s very hard, especially for a 3-year-old.”

Omar had just landed in Phoenix, Arizona, when he learned his son had been rushed to the emergency room. Sebastian has received round-the-clock care in the intensive care unit. During his latest procedure, doctors diagnosed him with grade 3 subglottic stenosis, a severe narrowing of the airway.

Sebastian’s parents have been at his side the entire time, but the emotional toll is immense.

“[Sebastian] looks at his hands, and he seems really, really sad,” Reynoso said. “We covered his hands because he doesn’t want to look at them, but every time someone comes in, he starts pulling at his hands to show them.”

The family says the healing process will take at least a year to see the full effects of the burns, and Sebastian may require reconstructive surgery and laser treatments, which are not fully covered by insurance.

The accident involved a Rozato tabletop fire pit, priced at $14.99 and designed for use with rubbing alcohol or bioethanol fuel. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has previously warned about the dangers of fire pits using liquid fuels, linking them to two deaths and up to 60 injuries since 2019, and urged consumers to stop using such devices.

The Reynoso family has launched a GoFundMe campaign aiming to raise $200,000 to cover medical bills, surgeries, and ongoing treatment. Omar emphasized that cost is not a concern when it comes to helping his son recover:

“We don’t care what the cost is, we’re still going to do it. We’ll go in debt for our lives. It’s for our kid, and whatever needs to be done, we’re going to do it for him.”

3 Year Old, Sebastian Reynoso, Suffers Severe Burns After Tabletop Fire Pit Malfunctions in Morgan Hill, California