Boy, 11, and parents killed in Italian volcanic field

MILAN — Three family members visiting a steamy volcanic field near Naples died Tuesday after an 11year-old boy entered an off-limits area and his parents followed to try to rescue him, police said.

Police said the boy apparently slipped after he breached a fence surrounding the prohibited area at the Solfatara Crater in Pozzuoli.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the 11-year-old and his parents were overcome by gases or were killed as the result of an explosion of super-heated mud. Heavy rains in recent days may have played a role by creating more openings in the volcanic field’s surface.

The crater is located in the Phlegraean Fields, a sprawling constellation of ancient volcanic craters that are popular with tourists.

The fields are scorching hot only a few inches below the surface.