Utah off-roading tragedy: teenagers battling severe burns

A spring break trip turned into a nightmare in St. George, Utah, last week when two Inland Empire teenagers suffered devastating burn injuries in an off-roading accident. The incident, involving a Polaris RZR, has left one girl with over 40% of her body burned, and both facing a long and arduous recovery.

Families rally as girls fight for their lives

The group, comprised of families and fellow firefighters from Orange County, was returning to camp on April 2nd when the accident occurred. According to Bruce Hale, an Orange County Fire Authority engineer present at the scene, the RZR overturned and caught fire. The immediate response from the adults – a rapid deployment of medical packs purchased on Amazon and readily available fire extinguishers – proved critical in extracting the girls and suppressing the flames. Hale emphasized that, “getting them out, and we used what we could on scene to cool the burns saved their lives.”

Fifteen-year-old Brooklyn Mallet, daughter of an OCFA fire captain, and her friend from Yucaipa, were subsequently life-flighted to a burn unit in Las Vegas. Mallet, a member of the Santiago High School varsity dance team, has already undergone three surgeries to address burns covering more than 40% of her body. Her friend sustained severe injuries to the left side of her face, neck, chest, and arm.

The financial toll on the families is substantial. Already maxing out insurance coverage, the families are expected to remain in Las Vegas for at least three months. Two GoFundMe campaigns have been established to aid in their recovery: one spearheaded by OC Firefighters Local 3631 (search for