Bizarre Burning Beach Rocks Hospitalize Woman

Officials are investigating a bizarre injury caused by beach stones that apparently burst into flames in a woman's pockets, CNS reports.

The 43-year-old woman's children, who were collecting stones along the beach near Trestles, gave their mother the seemingly unremarkable rocks to hold. At about 3:30 p.m., they burst into flames, leaving the mother hospitalized in Santa Ana with third-degree burns.

CNS reports that the Orange County Health Care Agency was investigating the incident

The woman had burns to her right thigh and knee, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Marc Stone said. He said the victim "stopped, dropped and rolled'' in an effort to douse the flames, and her husband suffered second-degree burns to his hand as he tried to help.

It could take about a week for the Health Care Agency to finish the investigation, Stone told CNS.

UPDATE: Two of the orange and green rocks were found to contain phosphorous, which can burn like a road flare when ignited, but the other five were cross-contaminated while in the woman's pocket, according to ABC7. The rocks were smooth and some were the size of a hamburger patty, while others were small enough to fit in a coffee cup, according to news reports.