TEXARKANA -- Two Ashdown boys who were burned this week while attempting to cook steaks for a surprise dinner for their parents remained in critical condition Wednesday.
Idie McCullough Jr., 9, and Joseph McCullough, 13, were listed in critical condition at the burn unit of Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, a hospital spokesman said.
The brothers were burned while trying to light a grill about 1:30 p.m. Monday at 1242 N. Wallace St.
"They were doing a surprise dinner for their mom and dad. The grandmother was inside the house making potato salad, and she heard a big boom and looked out the window and saw the boys on fire," said Jonathan Henry, a spokesman for the family. "She tried to extinguish the fire and told them to get on the ground and roll. It was indescribable."
The explosion also caused the grass in the backyard to catch fire. Ashdown police Lt. Boyd Kennemore and officer Glenn Gross used water hoses to extinguish the grass fire.
Kennemore said the grill blew up. He said there were no gas cans or lighter fluid found in the yard. He also said it's unknown if they were using butane. The fire is not under investigation.
"No one knows at this point what caused the fire," Henry said.
The Little River Ambulance Service responded to the initial call at the house about burn victims and requested helicopters to land on the nearby parking lot of Ashdown Junior High School. Medical personnel worked in ambulances to stabilize the boys for the flight to Arkansas Children's Hospital.
"It was a surprise dinner gone bad. The mom had taught them how to cook at a young age," Henry said.
Idie McCullough is a student at L.F. Henderson Intermediate School, and Joseph McCullough is a student at Ashdown Junior High School.
"They were friends with everybody on the block. They have hearts of gold," Henry said.
State Desk on 11/26/2015