Two burned by flaming alcohol at party

FREDONIA, N.Y. (WIVB) - The flaming beverages were too hot to handle. A Hamburg teen is at ECMC with severe burns suffered from a spill at an off-campus party in Fredonia.

SUNY Fredonia officials want to make it clear that this did not happen on-campus, nor did it happen as a direct result of a SUNY Fredonia student. However, it did happen right across the street from the SUNY campus. There are still beer cans and cups littering the front lawn.

SUNY Fredonia students live at the house on Temple Street and on Saturday afternoon had a party with at least 20 people. According to Fredonia Police, a 20-year-old named Joshua Benton from the Albany area used a lighter to ignite some 160 proof vodka. It ended up shooting flames over to a couch and burning an 18-year-old Fredonia student named Patrick Bettder and more seriously burning 18-year-old Taylor Meckley of Hamburg. She is about to graduate from a beauty school but is now at ECMC with second and third degree burns.

>> more info on the two teen victims here

This happened on the same day as Fred Fest, the alcohol-free end of school party that resulted in nearly 60 people being arrested.

SUNY Fredonia spokesman Michael Barone said, "Someone made just a very bad decision. The matter is under investigation with the village of Fredonia Police, but from what we've been told so far, the person who is believed to be responsible for this is also not a Fredonia student. None of this makes this any better. Obviously, we feel very badly that this happened."

Sgt. Phil Maslak of the Fredonia Police said, "Charges are imminent. The case has actually been forwarded to the District Attorney here in Chautauqua County and he's reviewing it at this time. He's supposed to let us know tomorrow what he'd like us to persue as far as charges go."

Meckley is in the burn unit at ECMC with burns over 45 percent of her body.