The burned man may face charges for leaving the boardwalk marked for Yellowstone visitors, officials said.
A visitor to Yellowstone National Park is in critical condition and may face charges after tripping and falling into a hot spring near the famous Old Faithful geyser, according to officials.
Cade Edmond Siemers was walking in the dark late Sunday without a flashlight when he tumbled into the thermal pool, a park spokeswoman said. He managed to pull himself from the scalding liquid and walk back to his hotel, where he called for help.
Rangers who interviewed the 48-year-old U.S. citizen, who lives in India, said he may have been under the influence of alcohol, the spokeswoman said, according to The Associated Press.
After dawn on Monday, rangers went to the pool and discovered Siemers' shoe, hat and a beer can, park officials said. They also spotted blood on the nearby boardwalk, where tourists are told to stay while walking in the area.
It is illegal to leave the park's walkways near Old Faithful. The ground cover is thin and easily damaged. Water temperatures in the thermal pools can reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Rangers are investigating Siemers' fall into the hot spring and will forward their findings to the U.S. Attorney's Office, where lawyers will decide whether to file charges against the man, park officials said.
Siemers was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, then airlifted to a burn center in Idaho. He is listed in critical condition, the AP reported.
At least 22 people have died from injuries sustained in hot springs since 1890, Yellowstone officials said.
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