Child burned in Yellowstone thermal feature

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (KIFI/KIDK)-A three-year-old child suffered second-degree thermal burns to the lower body and back after falling into a small thermal feature near Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park Friday.

According to reports, he child took off running from the trail, slipped and fell into the feature.

The child was life-flighted to the Burn Center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

Park officials say the ground in hydro-thermal areas is fragile and thin, with scalding water just below the surface.  Visitors are directed to stay on trails and exercise caution around thermal features.

This is the second significant injury in a thermal area in Yellowstone this year.  The first happened in May when a visitor, who illegally entered the park, fell into a thermal feature at Old Faithful.