Mum And Baby Son In Hospital With Severe Burns After Mum Used Alcohol To Cook With

A mum and her baby son have been admitted to hospital with burns to 90 and 18 per cent of their bodies respectively after the mum used ethanol to cook, as she could not afford cooking gas.

Critically-injured Geisa Stefanini, 32, is intubated in hospital in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo following the accident at her home in the nearby city of Osasco on Thursday, 2nd September.

Her seven-month-old son, Lucas Gabriel, is also in hospital in Osasco after he suffered burns to the left side of his face, his left arm and his left leg in the accident.

Geisa Stefanini, 32, who had 90% of her body burned and her seven-month-old son, Lucas Gabriel, pictured together, was also burned by the flames, in Osasco, Brazil, on 2nd September. (Newsflash)

Lucas’ parents are separated and Geisa lacks regular employment, sustaining herself and her son by peddling perfumes, but largely through state benefits.

Lucas’ dad is also reported to occasionally help out by delivering necessity goods such as nappies and milk to their house. After learning of the injuries he reportedly rushed to be at his son’s bedside.

Geisa and Lucas had been living in basic social housing paid for by the municipal authorities for socially vulnerable families since January.

Geisa Stefanini, 32, who had 90% of her body burned and her seven-month-old son, Lucas Gabriel, pictured, was also burned by the flames, in Osasco, Brazil, on 2nd September. (Newsflash)

Though the benefits Geisa receives cover electricity and water, cooking gas is notoriously expensive in Brazil, its price having more than quadrupled in under 20 years.

She therefore used other combustibles to cook with, and it was ethanol that caused the fire that gave the victims second-degree burns.

According to a July report, a 13-kilogramme (29-lb) cylinder of cooking gas now costs over BRL 100 (GBP 14) in Brazil, having cost just BRL 22 (GBP 3) in 2002.

Geisa Stefanini, 32, who had 90% of her body burned and her seven-month-old son, Lucas Gabriel, pictured together, was also burned by the flames, in Osasco, Brazil, on 2nd September. (Newsflash)

The price of cooking gas reportedly started rocketing after the Brazilian government stopped subsidising the product, thereby putting it out of reach for many low-income families.