A youth worker has today spoken of how he helped save a teenager who is battling for life after being engulfed in flames.

The 14-year-old boy, who has not been named, suffered serious burns after playing behind a disused warehouse at the EuroCam Technology Estate, off Chase Way, Bradford.

Project co-ordinator Haqueq Saddique said he and colleagues at the nearby West Bowling Initia-tive, in Parkside Road, heard the boy's screams and rushed to help.

"We were the first people there and we couldn't believe what we saw," he said. "The boy was covered in flames. He was rolling around on the grass screaming and shouting. It was frightening."

He said cannisters, believed to contain chemicals, were on the site and close to the fire.

The boy was today in intensive care at Sheffield Children's Hospital. He was said to be in a critical condition.

He was initially taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary before being transferred to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital.

Mr Saddique said he called emergency services and was given advice by ambulance staff over his mobile phone.

"They told me to douse him in water and to calm him down," he said. "The boy was shaken up, he was crying and he was having difficulty breathing. But we managed to calm him down and he asked us for a drink of water."

The boy, who was believed to be from West Bowling, was playing with friends behind the disused electronics warehouse, which was formerly owned by Chased Advanced Technologies, when the accident happened at about 4.30pm on Wednesday.

The Telegraph & Argus reported yesterday how police thought he had come into contact with a flammable liquid while in the building.

Chase Advanced Technologies went into receivership in September last year.

Administrators KPMG said they were looking into the incident.

Mr Saddique believed the boy had recently moved to the area.

Security guards at the site yesterday said all chemicals were now secure.

Councillor Ian Greenwood (Lab, Little Horton) urged youngsters to stay away from the site.

"This is the sort of incident every family dreads and they have my sympathy," said Coun Greenwood. "I have recently been up to the site after reports of trespassing and I will be talking to relevant departments at the Council to see what can be done."

Police investigations are continuing.

A West Yorkshire Fire Service spokesman said firefighters were called to 12 incidents in Chase Way between August 1, 2003, and Aug-ust 2004. He said: "That is quite a high number."

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said it had started an investigation into the accident.