4-Year-Old Boy Suffers Severe Burns in Explosion at Oklahoma Children’s Museum During S’mores Activity

A 4-year-old boy suffered serious burns during a family visit to the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum in Seminole, Oklahoma, on Saturday, June 21, when a hands-on activity involving an indoor s’mores maker reportedly led to an explosion.

According to the museum’s executive director, the incident occurred during a summer-themed event where the s’mores device had been introduced as part of the celebration. Witnesses at the scene said the explosion involved a grill and hand sanitizer.

Family friend Makala Pevehouse stated that the child, identified as Ryker Corona, had just received a s’more from his mother moments before the explosion. Another witness, Daycee Phillips, described seeing large flames followed by the child falling to the floor in distress.

“At first, you just see, like...big flames,” Phillips recounted. “Then I looked down and the little boy’s on the floor, like, flopping around, trying to put himself out.”

Bystanders, including parents attending the event, rushed to Ryker’s aid, using water to extinguish the flames. Emergency responders arrived shortly after noon. Ryker was airlifted to a hospital in Oklahoma City, where he was treated for second-degree burns to his face, chest, and arms.

The museum issued a public statement addressing the “unfortunate” incident, confirming that it occurred during a hands-on activity and that first aid was administered immediately by trained staff.

“The safety and well-being of every child and family who visits our museum is our highest priority,” the statement read. “We are conducting a thorough review of the incident, and the activity in question has been suspended while we evaluate and revise safety protocols to prevent any future occurrences.”

The museum expressed gratitude for the swift response of its team and emergency personnel, adding that it remains committed to ensuring a safe and enriching experience for all visitors.