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Fighting for life: Preston Flores
  • Emergency crews called to the scene in Aberdeen shortly before 2pm
  • Relative claims Preston Flores and his friends were playing with a petrol canister from the back on a van parked on the street
  • Boy is believed to have lived on street with mother and four other children
A seven-year-old boy was last night fighting for his life in hospital after being turned into a human fireball.

Preston Flores ran into the street 'on fire' near his home in Aberdeen after his clothes became doused in petrol and ignited.

The youngster, who is thought to have suffered 80 per cent burns, may have been deliberately set on fire - or been the victim of a prank gone wrong.

Last night, he remained in a 'serious' condition in hospital, with his mother Luisza at his bedside.

When asked if police were conducting a criminal inquiry, Detective Inspector Lorna Ferguson said: 'It's too early to say at the moment.'

However, Police Scotland later confirmed that officers at the scene in Bedford Avenue were following 'a positive line of inquiry'.

Eyewitnesses told how they watched in horror as the boy, screaming in agony, suddenly appeared with flames licking all around one side of his body.

One described the shocking scene as Preston was on fire from the neck downwards, his clothes sticking to him as he lay terrified on the ground.

Another said someone handed the youngster a bucket of water, which he immediately poured over himself in a desperate attempt to put out the fire.

Victoria Pirie, 17, last night told how she heard screams as the boy ran into the back garden of his block of flats, yelling and crying. She said: 'It was just horrid. He was on fire from the neck downwards, his clothes were sticking to him. They weren't really big but they were enough to do a lot of damage to him.'

Earlier, the schoolboy had been outside enjoying the fine weather, playing with two friends, a boy and a girl, in the street near his home.

The tragedy happened shortly before 2pm yesterday afternoon.

Local resident Paulina Pilska said she had been watching the children from her window as they jumped on top of a council pick-up van.

The 25-year-old cleaner said: 'They were searching for something. I saw one of them with a container, like a watering can.'

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Minutes later, Preston was running around outside the block of flats with flames shooting from his clothes.

Miss Pilska said the other children were trying to put him on the ground but he was shouting, although not very loudly at that stage.

She added: 'I was shocked.'

Emergency services were called to the scene and although firefighters arrived within three minutes, Preston is understood to have suffered serious injuries, with 80 per cent burns to his body.

Shortly afterwards, his mother, who had just returned to their flat from the shops, learned of the accident after neighbours began banging on her door. Residents said the mother-of-five collapsed on the ground when she saw her son.

Paramedics gave her oxygen and she was taken away in the ambulance with young Preston.

Police cordoned off two streets as they carried out detailed investigations to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

As stunned neighbours huddled together, some in tears, they watched police officers scour a grassy lane between two blocks of flats.

Resident Shona Henderson, 16, said: 'I saw clothes lying all over the ground and his shoes and the fire still there.

'By the time we got there, his clothes were sticking to his skin, it looked like they had melted into his skin. It was horrible.

'There were lots of people around him. Someone handed him a bucket of water and he poured it all over himself. He was screaming.'

Preston was taken by an ambulance under police escort to the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, where medical staff carried out emergency surgery.

Last night, it was believed he had been flown to a specialist burns unit at an Edinburgh hospital for further care.

Police last night confirmed that their investigations were continuing.

DI Ferguson said: 'We are appealing for witnesses in relation to the incident and inquiries are at an early stage at the minute until we establish exactly what happened. We're speaking to witnesses to establish the circumstances.'

Local councillor Nathan Morrison expressed his sympathy to the family.

He said: 'My heart goes out to this young boy who was in this terrible incident. I will be rooting for him to make a full recovery, as I'm sure everyone else will.

'There needs to be a police investigation into this matter.'

Councillor Jean Morrison said the whole of Aberdeen would be shocked, adding: 'I would imagine the police will investigate to see if there is anything behind it.

'I would hope that this young boy is OK and that he can recover. It's truly awful. My thoughts are with the parents.'