Boys seriously burned in Memorial Day Fort Lauderdale boat explosion, grandmother says

By Peter D’Oench

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WFOR) — The grandmother of two boys who survived a fiery boat explosion on the Intracoastal Waterway on Memorial Day said the children have extensive burns and may remain hospitalized for up to five months.

CBS News Miami is learning new details about the victims of the explosion aboard a 39-foot Sea Ray boat that caught fire after Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said fuel vapors somehow ignited. The source of the vapors has not yet been determined.

Fifteen people were on board when the flash fire erupted. Eleven were hospitalized, including two children. Ten patients, including the boys, were taken to the burn unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Grandmother: “They are the world to me”:

Outside Jackson Memorial, Sylvia Rivera spoke with CBS News Miami about her 5-year-old and 7-year-old grandsons, who remain in serious condition.

“Right now they are in serious condition and doctors are working on them. Their vitals are stable right now. They are doing well and they are reacting really well to the treatments and have not had complications so far,” she said.

Rivera said the 7-year-old has burns over 80% of his body, while the 5-year-old has burns over 40%.

“I was very, very worried,” she said. “I am also very unhappy. I just hope everything works out and investigators are able to do their job and come to a resolution. They will be here for a few months — three to four to five months, they estimate so far.”

“We are just glad we have a great support system and a lot of friends. Everyone is praying for these babies. They are the world to me. I would be nothing without these babies,” she added.

Family faces long recovery, financial strain:

Rivera said the family has turned to a fundraising website to help cover medical and other expenses, as has the family of 28-year-old Joshua Fifi, a father of four who was also burned in the explosion.

“The mother and father are not able to work right now and they will not be able to work for a while. We are insured, but there are a number of medical expenses and other expenses,” she said.

Rivera said the tragedy has shifted her perspective.

“This makes you appreciate a lot of things in life. It makes you not worry about the smaller things. Those things don’t matter anymore. What matters is that they are well and are going to be OK.”

The boys’ mother, Cassandra Rivera, posted a message on Facebook thanking people for their prayers. She said there is a “long road of recovery” ahead and she is facing multiple surgeries.

“We will get through this and we will recover as fast as possible,” she wrote.

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