YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - A 17-year-old boy suffered "significant thermal burns" during a hike near Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park officials said in a press release.
The incident happened Monday morning when the teen was on a hike in the vicinity of Lone Star Geyser. The teen's foot broke through a thin crust, the press release states, and he suffered burns to his lower extremity.
Emergency medical staff responded, and the teen was transported to a hospital for further treatment, park officials said.
This is the first known thermal injury in the park this year, the press release states.
The incident remains under investigation, and no further information has been released.
Watch the video about another burn incident in Yellowstone National Park in the same area last year
Park officials provided this information on how to stay safe in thermal areas:
Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations. Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.
- Always walk on boardwalks and designated trails. Keep children close and do not let them run on boardwalks.
- Do not touch thermal features or runoff.
- Swimming or soaking in hot springs is prohibited. More than 20 people have died from burns suffered after they entered or fell into Yellowstone’s hot springs.
- Pets [nps.gov] [nps.gov]are prohibited in thermal areas.
- Do not throw objects into hot springs or other hydrothermal features.
- Toxic gases may accumulate to dangerous levels in some hydrothermal areas. If you begin to feel sick while exploring one of our geyser basins, leave the area immediately.
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