BBQs
In 2025, 215 people under 19 were hospitalised with serious barbecue related burns requiring specialist treatment, an increase of 7% compared with 2024. Hundreds more children were treated for less severe injuries.
Barbecue-related burn injuries in people aged 0–19 increased by 7% between 2024 and 2025
Data from the International Burn Injury Database (iBID) 215 children were hospitalised with serious barbecue related burns requiring specialist treatment
To help keep everyone safe, RoSPA and Children’s Burns Trust have this simple advice for people planning a barbecue, which includes:
- Placing barbecues on flat, stable, non‑flammable surfaces
- Keeping children well away from barbecues at all times
- Never leaving barbecues unattended
- Allowing coals, ashes and disposable barbecues to cool completely before moving them
- Never using barbecues indoors or in enclosed spaces
- Never using accelerants such as petrol
Rebecca Guy, Senior Policy Manager at RoSPA “Barbecues cause serious burns every year, often because people underestimate how hot they stay long after cooking has finished. Children should be kept well away from barbecues at all times, and disposable barbecues must never be moved or put in bins until they are completely cold. Simple steps like safe placement, supervision and proper disposal can prevent life‑changing injuries.”
First Aid – for a barbecue burn
COOL
CALL
COVER
Ken Dunn BSc FRCS(Lond) FRCS(plast) FRCS(ed), Consultant Burns and Plastic Surgeon (retired) and Vice Chair at Children’s Burns Trust “Barbecue burns can cause deep, severe injuries in seconds, particularly to children who stumble or fall near hot grills or coals. Many of the cases we see happen during busy family gatherings when attention is divided. Planning ahead and treating barbecues as a serious burn risk makes a real difference.”
Impact
children a day are burned by a hot drink
decline in fundraising income this year
children were burned or scalded in 2025
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