Teen dies from burns in campfire accident

SOUTH BERWICK – A 16-year-old boy from South Berwick has died in a Boston hospital of burns suffered last Wednesday during an accident at a campfire along Silver Lake in Shapleigh.

Jason Caouette suffered burns over 90 percent of his body when he poured gasoline onto the smoldering campfire to reignite it, the state medical examiner’s office said. The stream of gasoline ignited, causing the metal 5-gallon can to explode.

Caouette was taken to Maine Medical Center and later airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he died Saturday.

Charles Hayes, 17, of Shapleigh, suffered burns to his feet in the explosion.

Caouette would have been a sophomore this fall at Marshwood High School.

His death was the second tragedy to hit the school this summer. A June graduate, Jeremy Trepp, 18, died after hitting his head during a skateboarding accident.