Toddler falls into fire pit in Northland

Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust spokesman Lincoln Davies told Stuff the little boy was airlifted by Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter with moderate injuries. Photo / File

A toddler has been airlifted to Middlemore Hospital suffering burn injuries after falling into a fire pit in Northland.

The incident happened this afternoon on a farm south of Dargaville at Pouto.

Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust spokesman Lincoln Davies told the Herald the little boy was airlifted by Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter with moderate injuries.

Pilot of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter, James Tayler, said he fell into an open pit fire on the farm that was burning general rubbish.

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter at the farm. Photo / Supplied

"A family member got him out of the fire pit very quickly and they treated him with cold water which is the right thing to do.

"[The burns were] just on part of his body, some of them were relatively deep burns which is why he was taken to the burns unit," Tayler said.

The boy was taken to the specialist burns unit at Middlemore Hospital and arrived there around 3.30pm.

A St John Ambulance spokesperson said it was alerted to the incident just after 1.30pm.