Burnt schoolboy dies in hospital
PA Auckland Schoolmates and teachers at Orewa College observed a minute’s silence early yesterday for a pupil, Gavin Baker, aged 15, who died after lighting a cigarette while sniffing petrol. His death had shocked a community where solvent abuse was not thought to be a problem, said the college’s principal, Mr Ken Pascoe. The boy’s entire body was burned when he lit a cigarette after sniffing petrol in the basement of a friend’s house at Little Manly. Mr Pascoe said solvent
abuse was rare in the area — the last reported incident was almost three years ago. Gavin Baker was an academically average student from a well-liked and respected Whangaparaoa family, Mr Pascoe said. “There was no indication of his being a solventsniffer. “I believe he was not very experienced at it,” Mr Pascoe said. Police said the boy’s friend tried to smother the flames with a wet candlewick bedspread, then dragged the burning boy into a bath. He died in Middlemore Hospital early yesterday.
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Press, 30 September 1986, Page 2
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169Burnt schoolboy dies in hospital Press, 30 September 1986, Page 2
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