Condition of Teenager Burned in Science Experiment Is Upgraded

The condition of the Santa Clarita teenager severely burned in a high school physics experiment that went awry has been upgraded from critical to serious after surgery on Friday.

Christopher James, 17, also spoke for the first time earlier this week, said Sherman Oaks Hospital spokesman Larry Weinberg.

During Friday’s surgery, grafts taken from Christopher’s back were used to cover the burned areas of his chest--the last area of his body requiring grafting. With the grafts, the risk of potentially life-threatening infection is reduced, Weinberg said.

“He is on his way out of the woods, if not completely out,” he said.

Christopher, of Stevenson Ranch, suffered third-degree burns over 35% of his body in the Nov. 25 experiment at William S. Hart High School in Newhall.

Nolan LeMar, 17, was also injured, with second-degree burns over 12% of his body. Nolan, of Castaic, was released from the hospital’s Grossman Burn Center last Sunday.

Since the accident, Christopher has undergone several surgeries to graft skin to his face, ears, neck, arms and hands.

On Friday, using a laryngoscope, doctors also found that the condition of the teenager’s vocal cords had improved, Weinberg said.

Christopher’s vocal cords were burned when he breathed a cloud of flaming methanol during the experiment.

Next week, Christopher will have an operation to repair the skin grafts, Weinberg said. The procedure will be the last major surgery for the teen before starting occupational and physical therapy, he said.