Tribute to teen who died after bonfire explosion

The parents of a teenager who died from injuries suffered when a bonfire exploded over him two years earlier have spoken of their pride at his "fight".

Harley Hallam was 16 when roof sealant was poured onto the fire in his back garden in Sheffield in August 2022, an inquest was told.

The teenager spent three months in a coma before being treated in hospital in Wakefield for two years. He succumbed to a serious infection of his wounds on Christmas Day last year.

In a family statement read to the inquest, his mother Anna said she was "extremely proud of the fight her son has put up in the last two-and-a-half years".

The proceedings, at Wakefield Coroner's Court earlier, heard how Mr Hallam lived with his parents and two younger sisters and was "just a normal 16-year-old" before the incident.

It was said that the Dinnington High School pupil, originally from Rotherham, had started the bonfire on the evening of 9 August but thought it had not lit.

After sealant was poured on in an attempt to ignite it, the fire exploded and covered him with the substance.

The teenager, who was aged 18 when he died, had to run inside and jump into a bath of water to extinguish the flames.

After emerging from a coma later that year, Mr Hallam was treated at both Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield and a hospital in Sheffield, before staying at the former when travelling between the two adversely affected his health.

As part of his recuperation, he underwent physiotherapy and was praised by one consultant for his "resilience" in trying to overcome his injuries

However, the inquest heard he suffered from "recurring" infections and he deteriorated in the weeks before his death, due to sepsis and pancreatic failure.

Mr Hallam's family, who did not attend the inquest, said they would be "forever grateful" to medics and hospital workers who cared for their son.

"The staff were brilliant with him and the care they showed was exemplary," his mother's statement added.

Area coroner Oliver Longstaff said the adding of the sealant onto the fire was "an error of judgement on someone's part".

He added: "The person who did it would have regretted the action to this day and beyond."

It was said a police investigation found no suspicious circumstances regarding the incident.

A fundraiser set up to help the family with funeral costs has raised more than £2,800.

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