SAN CLEMENTE – A 15-year-old boy was airlifted to a burn center Tuesday night after he severely burned his leg while attempted to cook pasta, officials said.

The teenager was boiling water around 5 p.m. at his home in the 1900 block of Via Sage when the pot fell off the stove and onto his right thigh, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

“He was in severe pain,” Concialdi said. “He suffered first-and-second-degree burns on his right thigh.”

Because of the rush hour traffic, officials decided to use a helicopter to get the teen to a Santa Ana burn center.

“The traffic is so bad on the northbound 5 (freeway), that we had to fly him to Orange County Global Medical Center.”

He was treated and expected to survive.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or aduranty@ocregister.com