Community rallies for Denville girl burned at bagel shop

Emily Roth spent a third painful day in the burn unit at St. Barnabas Medical Center Tuesday while her classmates received their diplomas at Morris Knolls High School.

The Denville resident missed her graduation as she remained in critical care Wednesday after sustaining severe burns Saturday in a freak explosion at the bagel shop where she worked, according to her mother, Michelle Roth.

"I don't think some people realize the severity of her injuries," Michelle Roth said. "The initial reports said her burns weren't life-threatening, but they were. After three days, they were no longer life-threatening, but she will be in critical care for 15 days at the least."

Emily, 18, was working her part-time job at Mountain Lakes Bagels on Saturday when an aerosol can of cooking spray fell to the floor and rolled under the short-order grill at the popular breakfast and lunch spot on Route 46. No one noticed the can until it heated up from the grill and exploded, according to a report from the Mountain Lakes Police Department.

The honor student took the brunt of the blast, sustaining third-degree burns to 20 percent of her body, including her legs, arms, hands and face. A few others were treated for minor injuries at the scene, but Emily was rushed by ambulance to St. Barnabas in Livingston.

"She was in the most severe pain I've ever seen anyone in," Michelle Roth said. "Her lungs and esophagus swelled and she could barely breathe."

Emily was hoping more of her friends could visit by now, but her mother said they are taking it day-by-day.

"Until yesterday, her face and eyes swelled up so much that she couldn't see or talk," Michelle Roth said. "They are letting people in, but leaving it to us. The biggest concern the doctors have is infection."

The most severe burns were on one hand.

"Right now, they don't know if she will regain full use or function," Michelle Roth said.

Her fellow students and the community have responded with outpourings of love and support. An online "Strength and Support for Emily Roth" funding site at http://www.youcaring.com/emily-roth-376106#.VYco02Ec_jA.facebook has collected more than $21,700 in the first two days.

A group of students also will conduct a car wash fundraiser from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday at Advance Auto Parts, 134 Route 46 in Rockaway.

"I am just so grateful beyond words, I can't even describe it," Michelle Roth said. "She is such a good person and nobody deserves this."

Her daughter, she said, has always given back to the community through her work with school groups including the Key Club and Circle Club, a mentoring program that promotes inclusion of special education students into mainstream school activities. She also is a longtime volunteer for Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey.

She also studied applied behavior therapies to help her 6-year-old brother, who is severely autistic.

The Roth family is hoping Emily will heal sufficiently in time to continue her studies at college this fall at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.

"She has wanted to be an engineer since she was in the fifth grade," Michelle Roth said. "But one step at a time. Right now, we just want her to get better."

Updates on her condition will be posted on the You Caring website.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-428-6627; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.