Vaseline to treat boys who fell into oil pit

THE boys rescued from an oil seep at Point Fortin are using Vaseline as "treatment" on their skin, as recommended by staff at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH).

"That is what will help, so they say," said their mother Frederica Hodge. "The hospital did not have any medical products to help clean the boys. They said they never had an incident like this one before,"

Last week Wednesday, her sons, 13-year-old Darold Clarke and Adiel Cyrus, 12, were almost swallowed alive in a pit known as an "oil seep" in the forest off Techier Road, Egypt Village.

The boys’ stepfather, Kenneth Small, was partially submerged while trying to save them. Villagers, fire officers and workers from Heritage Petroleum helped rescue them. All three were taken to hospital and discharged hours later.

"Even before we reached the hospital, we were using pitch oil and Dawn (detergent)," Hodge said. "We also used unleaded diesel which we got from Fire Service. "I hope and pray that they come along and do not have any side effects."

The 44-year-old mother of four said she blames no one for the incident and is grateful the boys are alive. They have to see a dermatologist at the Point Fortin Area Hospital on March 11, as advised by staff at SFGH yesterday. The boys must also go for counselling at Pleasantville Health Centre on March 18. Before they fell in, they and a cousin were playing and flying a kite near the oil seep. The younger brother tripped and fell in while trying to retrieve the kite. He began to sink and Clarke, in trying to pull him out, also began sinking.