Correction Feb. 15, 2011 — The mother of a 3-year-old burned by hot water from a radiator Feb. 9 was not inside the apartment at the time of the incident, as was reported in an earlier version of the story below, according to city police Lt. Todd Umstead. The child's father was inside the apartment.

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A 3-year-old boy severely burned by hot water from a radiator on Thursday in Lancaster city is in critical condition, according to police.

He is being treated for first- and second-degree burns to about half of his body, city police Lt. Todd Umstead said Tuesday.

The boy suffered burns to his face, an arm and his upper body, but is expected to survive, he said.

Police initially reported that a water heater caused what Umstead called a "freak accident."

But actually it was an old cast-iron radiator, he said.

The incident happened just before 5:30 p.m. in a bedroom in a second-floor apartment in the 500 block of West Lemon Street, Umstead said.

The family apparently had some trouble with the radiator before the incident.

Umstead said they had to mop up some water that leaked from a pipe that carries water away from the radiator.

Sometime later, a different pipe that carries water to the radiator ruptured, causing the radiator to tilt forward at an angle, Umstead said.

That pipe then sheared and hot water sprayed into a nearby crib occupied by the boy, he said.

An older sibling alerted the children's parents, Umstead said. The boy's mother called 911.

Firefighters, ambulance personnel and police responded to the home and the boy was transported to Lancaster General Hospital, Umstead said.

The boy was later flown to Crozer-Chester Medical Center, near Philadelphia, where he was in critical condition Tuesday, he said.

No tenants of the apartment building were at home when a reporter visited on Tuesday.

Two next-door neighbors said they do not know the 3-year-old boy's family very well.

rrobinson@lnpnews.com