OBSERVER ONLINE understands that burn victim, Ackalia Dunkley, a 7th grade student of the Black River High School in St Elizabeth, is in need of urgent assistance to raise US$45,000 for air ambulance services to get to the United States for surgery.

She is currently battling for life at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) in St Andrew, suffering from complications associated with third degree burns she is said to have received from an explosion which occurred inside a kitchen at her house in St Elizabeth on Friday morning.

Sources told OBSERVER ONLINE that the incident occurred while Dunkley was attempting to prepare a meal around 5:00am ahead of school. A gas cylinder allegedly exploded and fire burned her school uniform off her body.

Her family has set up a GoFundMe account and is appealing for the public’s urgent assistance in flying the child out of Jamaica as well as help to cover medical expenses in the United States.

Those wishing to assist Dunkley can do so at https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-support-needed-for-ackalia-dunkley.

Persons can also donate via accounts set up at C&WJ Co-operative Credit Union (Santander Cruz Branch). The name on the account is Ruphema Dunkley. Member ID: 6517978, account #: 0015.

For further details, people interested in assisting may call the child’s father Ruphema Dunkley at 876-383-5089 for further information.