Small pranks, big consequences: the death of a six-year-old boy from the Rivne region
Children always want to discover the world, touch the unknown and have fun. Fire, as a bright and mysterious phenomenon, always attracts their attention. They do not yet understand all the dangers that it carries, and often perceive it as an interesting toy to have fun with. But innocent pranks can have catastrophic consequences, as the recent tragedy in the Rivne region painfully reminded.
On Wednesday, September 25, a terrible event took place in the small village of Novostav in the Rivne district. A six-year-old boy died during a fire in the summer kitchen. He did not go to school that day due to illness and stayed at home alone while his parents were at work. Around 2 p.m., the neighbor saw the boy in the yard, they were talking. However, within an hour she noticed that thick smoke was coming from the roof of the summer kitchen.
The woman immediately called the boy’s parents, who called the rescuers. Before the arrival of firefighters, neighbors and owners tried to put out the flames on their own. Two departments of the State Emergency Service arrived at the scene, but, unfortunately, the tragedy could not be avoided. The fire was localized at 5:05 p.m., and completely extinguished at 6:00 p.m. A child’s body was found in the attic of the building.
Preliminary conclusions indicate that the cause of the tragedy was children’s pranks with fire. In addition to the dead boy, the family is raising two more children – 10 and 13 years old, who were in school at the time of the tragedy.
This tragedy is not only a great grief for the family, but also a more important reminder for all parents: fire is not a toy, but a great danger. Children need to be explained the rules of handling it, teach how to avoid risks and react in emergency situations. Special attention should be paid to conversations about the consequences of such “mischief”, because their lives and health depend on it.
To prevent such cases, it is necessary to follow a few simple rules
- Explain to children about the danger of fire – talk about how it can harm in an accessible and understandable way.
- Teach safety rules – children should know how to behave in case of fire and what to do if they see fire.
- Control access to dangerous items – matches, lighters and other fire-starting items should be kept out of the reach of children.
- Do not leave children unattended – even the most conscientious children can resist the temptation to play with fire.
The safety of our children is our responsibility. Only together can we create a safe environment for them, where they will grow up healthy and happy, and terrible tragedies like this will never happen again.
