Frank Burns Frank H Burns

Yesterday forenoon, Thursday, July 18, 2019, Frank was working in his garden/orchard and lit fire to a patch of tangled grass and garden trash to clean it up in preparation to plant some tree seedlings.

Apparently his fire was under control until a spray paint can buried in the grass exploded and scattered embers into the adjacent dry grass. It is not clear whether the initial explosion already lit his clothes on fire, or if he was trying to contain the fire and got tripped up and fell, but there is clear evidence that he rolled thru the flames and under a fence to reach the irrigation ditch in to which he plunged to put out the flames. By then his clothes were mostly burnt off his body.

Here in Brazil, in the dry season, everyone is very much attuned to any signs of grass/bush/crop residue fires. It sounds like within a very short time numerous people showed up to help put out the fire, and some of the first ones on the scene found Frank in the ditch and soon loaded him up and headed to Rio Verde.

Although they tried to get an ambulance, they ended up hauling him all the way to the emergency room. He was conscious and lucid during the trip to the hospital.


Frank sustained severe burns, affecting at least 70% of his body, with 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns.

Doctors in Rio Verde worked on stabilizing his condition. By mid-afternoon he was on a respirator and in an induced comma when transferred via “Mobil ICU” ambulance to Goiania to the burn unit in the new HUGOL hospital, arriving there late afternoon.

The doctor’s report at 8 am this morning is that his condition continues critical, that he is on a respirator and there is no urine flow.

Most of Zelinda’s family, Frank’s in-laws, lives in and around Goiania. One of her sisters works in the state health care system and has considerable expertise in navigating the bureaucracy. She and Zelinda’s daughter Bia are our first line of communication with the medical staff. For the short term we will try to keep this updated hourly when there are any new developments to report.

Anyone who has details to add, please feel free to do so.

By Stephen Kramer



Ontem de manhã, quinta-feira, 18/07/2019, Frank estava trabalhando em sua horta/pomar e colocou fogo num pedaço de macega de capim para fazer uma limpeza em preparação para plantar algumas mudas de árvores.

Tudo indica que seu fogo estava sob controle até que explodiu uma lata vazia de tinta spray que estava escondido no capim, esparramando tições para o capim seco em volta. Não está claro se a explosão inicial já incendiou sua roupa, ou se ele estava tentando conter o incêndio e acabou caindo no meio do fogo. Mas tem evidências claras de como ele rolou por meio das chamas e por baixo de uma cerca para alcançar o rego de irrigação no qual se lançou para apagar as chamas. A estas alturas sua roupa estava quase totalmente queimada.


Vários vizinhos viram o incêndio e dentro de poucos minutos chegaram no local para ajudar a apaga-lo, e encontrando Frank naquela situação o embarcaram para leva-lo ao hospital. A caminho tentaram acionar uma ambulância, mas acabaram levando ele até o UPA em Rio Verde. Na viagem Frank estava acordado e lúcido.

Frank sofreu queimaduras em pelo menos 70% do corpo, sendo de 1º, 2º e 3º grau. Os médicos em Rio Verde trabalharam na estabilização da sua condição, e no meio da tarde, já entubado e em estado de coma induzido, foi transferido por uma ambulância UTI móvel para o HUGOL em Goiânia, chegando lá no final da tarde.

No boletim médico de hoje às 8 horas, diz simplesmente que continua em estado grave, entubado, e há ausência de urina.

Temos contato constante com a Bia e Valdelice, filha e irmã de Zelinda que estão fazendo o acompanhamento lá, e postaremos aqui quaisquer novidades assim que surgirem.