According to local firefighters, cited by the American television channel CBS, the family was cooking a typical Portuguese dish, called "chouriço à bombeiro" and which involves the use of alcohol to cook the sausage ​​in a clay dish.

During cooking, when the family was adding more alcohol to the clay dish to support the flame, a gust of wind came and caused the fire to spread throughout the kitchen and end up hitting the man and the girl, who were nearby.

"It was a freak accident, which caused the flame to spread across the counter top intensely and quickly," Lakeville deputy fire chief Pamela Garant told the same American television channel.

The other family members, who were also at home, smothered the flames that reached the victims with towels, rugs and blankets before putting out the rest of the fire in the kitchen with a fire extinguisher.

"Even with safety precautions and a fire extinguisher nearby, accidents happen. We are literally cooking with flames," Garant explained.

The man had to be airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital with severe burns, but is now stable. The girl was taken to St. Luke's Hospital with minor burns and, according to firefighters, "should be OK."

"This was a tragic incident, but it could have been much worse and for that we are grateful to the family and friends who acted quickly. It just goes to show that you can never be complacent. Whenever you use a flame, you need respect for it," the Lakeville deputy fire chief added.