A 12-year-old boy suffered horrific third-degree burns after his polyester sweater caught fire.

Victorian boy Levi Presland was playing in the backyard of his house when a spark from the lighter he was playing with fell on his sweater.

His mother, Amie Presland, said her son ‘just flicked’ the lighter and his jumper, made of highly flammable material, ‘set it off’.

His quick-thinking 14-year-old sister, Megan, took action and saved her brother’s life by spraying him with a garden hose.

‘I kind of went into action mode,’ Megan said 7News.

‘I looked up and saw him engulfed in flames, trying to take off his jumper.’

Emergency services, including on-duty and off-duty paramedics, arrived at the home within minutes.

Levi was flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, two hours away, where he was immediately taken into surgery.

When 12-year-old Levi Presland’s polyester sweater caught fire, he suffered third-degree burns on his body and armpits, and minor burns on his face and hands.

Quick-thinking 14-year-old sister Megan (pictured) jumped into action and saved her brother’s life by spraying him with a garden hose.

The young boy suffered burns, known as third-degree burns, on his body and armpits, and minor burns on his face and hands, which occurred when he took off his sweater.

Levi has since undergone eight surgeries, including a skin graft from his thigh to treat burns on his chest.

Despite the long road he’s taken to recovery, the teenager said he ‘feels really good’.

Friends of Ms. Presland and her husband, Mark, started a campaign. GoFundMe To help pay for Levi’s medical bills and rehabilitation.

Fonda said: ‘His parents, Mark and Amie, take turns staying with Levi in ​​the hospital; “This affects their ability to work and puts a strain on their finances,” he says.

Fund organizer and friend Stephen Ritchie said the pair were finding it particularly difficult after having to close their small business due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is particularly difficult after navigating the challenges of small business ownership throughout COVID in Melbourne,” he wrote.

‘They closed their business doors at Christmas 2023 and returned to the country to be closer to family support.’

‘Amie’s friends started this fundraiser to ease tensions. ‘We recognize that it is a challenging time for many people at the moment and small amounts of hope can help relieve the ongoing pressure on Levi and his family.’

Mr. and Mrs. Presland want Levi’s story to help other parents understand and identify the dangers of synthetic clothing.

In 2023, more than 1,000 children aged 15 and under were admitted to hospital burn wards across the country.

Parents are warned to check labels on their children’s clothing and be wary of materials such as polyester and nylon, as synthetics will melt once ignited.

Parents are also advised to choose clothing with low fire hazard labels and teach their children a ‘stop, drop, cover and roll’ drill in case their clothing catches fire.

This comes after some major brands recalled children’s clothing for failure to comply with safety rules and regulations.

Levi underwent eight surgeries to treat his burns, and his parents hope their son’s story will help parents understand the dangers of synthetic clothing

Retail giant H&M recalled its one-piece pajama set in July this year because the nightgown product did not have the required fire hazard label.

The same month, the company behind popular loungewear brand The Oodie was fined for failing to include fire hazard warning labels on many of its products.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) fined Davie Clothing $101,280 for a security breach.

Between September 2022 and July 2023, more than 2,460 children’s ‘Beach Oodies’ were found to not include High Fire Danger warning labels.

Earlier this year, Kmart recalled a pajama set because it did not have the correct fire hazard label and posed a risk of serious burn injuries to children.

Target also recalled several pajama sets in early 2023 because the material posed a fire hazard.

In 2022, Kathmandu recalled a Children’s Hooded Towel after the ACCC found that the product “did not comply with the labeling requirements of mandatory safety standards for children’s nightwear”.