Windsor teen charged after campfire turns deadly

A backyard campfire that turned tragic and claimed the life of a 20-year-old Windsor man has resulted in criminal charges against an 18-year-old who poured gas on the flames.

“We can’t stress enough how dangerous the situation is if somebody decides to put a flammable liquid on an open fire,” Sgt. Steve Betteridge said Tuesday. “What we have here is a tragic situation with a loss of life.” The incident occurred in South Windsor shortly after midnight on Saturday, June 16, when a small group of young adults attempted to start a backyard fire in the 700 block of Dynasty Street. Windsor police arrived to find a 20-year-old man who had suffered severe burns.

The man succumbed to his injuries on Friday, six days after the incident.

On Monday, police arrested an 18-year-old who has been charged with criminal negligence causing death. He is accused of pouring gasoline on the fire after it wouldn’t stay lit, causing a large burst of flames that resulted in major burns to the victim. The accused is not being named as he has not yet appeared or been charged in court. A date for his appearance has not been scheduled and is unlikely to occur for several weeks, police said. Investigators are not releasing the name of the victim, but did confirm the two young men are acquaintances, Betteridge said. He noted open air fires in Windsor are illegal.

Anyone with further information can contact Windsor Police Service at 519-255-6700 ext. 4830 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS). Further information on backyard fires can be found online through Windsor Fire & Rescue Services at: www.windsorfire.com/ open-air-burning.