I was wondering how such a tragedy could have happened, and your link had the answer. Someone poured gasoline on a fire.
I personally do that once in a while to get oil to light deadfall trees in a burn pit. It is very dangerous. If there is an existing flame or embers there will be a huge flare up that expands for both width and height. Being as close as 15 feet will singe hair. However I use a safer method than pouring.
It’s safer (for me, anyway) to use diesel. I almost messed up badly using gasoline burning off a huge pile of brush I’d cleared. I found out the hard way what gasoline vapor is capable of if you make a boo boo. Scared the heck out of me.
[[I personally do that once in a while to get oil to light deadfall trees in a burn pit.]]
Put kerosene or charcoal lighter fluid on the brush and let it sit for a few hours. Then light it with newspaper tucked into the branches. Will touch off much slower and burn longer to get the branches going.
NEVER use gasoline under any circumstances. Its too volatile and burns much too quickly. I knew a kid that had the same thing happen but he survived. He had about a dozen operations on his face, neck and scalp to deal with the burns. The flame will travel right up the stream of a gas can and explode the can which is what happened to him.
I burn a lot of brush myself. I never use gasoline. Too volatile. I use kerosene or diesel. Still need to be careful but doesn’t flare up like gas will.
it wasn’t “someone” it was her. She poured the gasoline on the fire.
So many people do not understand that it is gas vapors that burn rather than liquid gas. I use kerosene for my burn piles. Only whatever it is on will ignite.