I fell into a fire pit at my daughter’s wedding – my dress melted onto my skin and it felt like being burned alive

HAYLEY Ridding, 51, works in insurance and lives in Queensland, Australia, with partner Todd, 49.

Here she tells how her daughter’s wedding went from joy to horror as she tumbled into the red-hot burning coals of a firepit at the celebration.

“My head swam as I opened my eyes.

Just hours before, I’d been dancing happily at my daughter D’Koda’s wedding, but now there were strangers looming over me in helmets and goggles.

Then everything went dark.

D’Koda, 26, and I have always been close.

When she got engaged to her boyfriend Ryan, 25, in the summer of 2020, I was thrilled for her – especially because our family had been through tough times.

D’Koda’s dad Adam, my ex, died in June 2019 from leukaemia.

Then my amazing dad Charles died in March 2020, at 80, from cancer.

So my eyes filled with tears when I saw D’Koda in her beautiful dress in August 2021.

I was so happy to celebrate my incredible daughter and this new chapter in her life.

The other 100 guests felt the same.

We’d all gathered on the farm where D’Koda and Ryan lived with his parents to see them say their vows.

I held hands with my partner Todd, and it was just beautiful.

Then came the party.

With a bouncy castle, band, great food, drinks and funny speeches, everyone was having a ball.

As the sun set, guests began gathering at the huge fire pit that Ryan had built.

Burning all day and surrounded by boulders to sit on, it was perfect for keeping warm in the cooling air.

At 3am, I finished up my final beer by the fire with Ryan’s dad Darren.

Then, as I stood up to leave, I tripped on one of the boulders and fell into the scorching coals.

The next thing I remember, I was sprawled on the ground next to the fire pit, hearing Darren scream for help.

I didn’t realise it, but he’d seen me fall and leapt up to help me.

Hauling me out of the red-hot coals, he’d fallen backwards, hurting himself in the process.

In the surge of adrenalin, I didn’t realise I’d been burned.

I saw Ryan’s auntie Kelly, 53, and shouted at her to come and help Darren.

When she saw me, she cried out in shock.

Looking down, I realised why.

My dress, which contained polyester and nylon, had melted on to my skin.

Suddenly, I was aware of the pain, as my legs and right arm began throbbing.

Then everything went black.

Falling in and out of consciousness, I only remember flashes of what happened next – Kelly pouring water on me, being carried into an ambulance, lifted into a helicopter, opening my eyes to see people in goggles, thinking I was being abducted by aliens, as well as the smell of burning…

At 10am the next morning, I woke up in a hospital bed feeling worried, with Todd sitting beside me.

Had I ruined the wedding?

Then D’Koda flew into the room and put my fears to rest – Darren was fine and she was relieved that I, too, was OK.

I was so worried about D’Koda, I didn’t think about my injuries until the next day, when the bandages were removed and my burns cleaned.

Seeing the scorched skin on my right arm and legs, blistered and fleshy, was horrifying.

Doctors explained that I had third-degree burns across 5% of my body.

That’s when I realised that the smell in the helicopter had been my scorched flesh.

I’d been burned alive.

I was put on a spinal board and lowered into the water, as medics scrubbed embers off my skin to clean it.

Despite lots of painkillers, it really hurt.

Next, I needed painful skin grafts, which doctors took from my inner thigh and hamstring, and it was two weeks before I was discharged.

At home, I had to wear compression garments for 23 hours a day, and was off work from my job in insurance for three weeks.

I’ve always struggled with anxiety, and after the accident, it was sky-high.

As a coping mechanism, I tried to see the funny side – after all, it was pretty bizarre that I’d fallen into a fire pit at my daughter’s wedding!

By the time I was out of the compression garments in April 2023, I’d made peace with what happened.

I will always have scars, but I can now look at the beautiful wedding photos and smile at the happy memories.

It was certainly a day to remember.”

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BTW

Burns are the fourth most common type of trauma worldwide.*

It’s estimated that, in the UK, 250,000 receive burns injuries a year, and 175,000 of those attend A&E for treatment.**

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Words: Kate Graham Photography: Zachary Shane Photo & Video Sources: *National Institute Of Health **NICE