A toddler suffered serious burn injuries in a fire at a home daycare in Oxford, MA on Monday. The 14-month-old boy is being treated for second and third-degree burn injuries at Shriners in Boston. The fire was contained to a small bedroom, where the child was found in front of a playpen on the floor. First responders arrived at the scene on 43 Watch Street shortly before 1:00 PM. Two adults and three children were inside the house at the time. One of the adults helped prevent the fire from spreading by tossing a half-gallon Brita water pitcher onto the blaze.
An investigation by WCVB News found that the home daycare has been a licensed family child care operation since 2002. The daycare was found to be non-compliant with the following regulations during a monitoring visit in January 2020.
- A person on the premises who had not gone through a background check
- Infant found napping in an unlicensed bedroom
- Clutter in the kitchen, bedroom, and on the dining room table
- Lotions, powder, and other potentially hazardous items accessible in a bedroom
- Shovels accessible in the front yard play area
- Television in the living room not secured to the wall or furniture
During a virtual visit to the home last month, the daycare was found to be fully compliant. In addition to the fire investigation, the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care has opened an investigation.
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