By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
MARBLEHEAD — A 16-year-old high school student is in a Boston hospital with severe frostbite and hypothermia, after collapsing on his way home from a New Year's Eve party and spending hours in the snow and frigid temperatures, fire officials said.
Bennett Barber of Taft Street was listed in fair condition last night at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Barber was found unconscious in the snow on Power Terrace, slightly more than a half-mile from his home, shortly before 6 a.m. yesterday and taken directly to Boston by Atlantic Ambulance paramedics.
Marblehead fire Capt. Elizabeth Wilson, reading from the department's report on the response, said the victim was wearing jeans, a coat and sneakers when he was found on Power Terrace between a stone wall and a boat.
She said Barber had been at a party at 9 Stone Terrace.
Vincent Conte of 9 Stone Terrace declined to comment last night.
Barber was supposed to be home by 1:30 a.m., and his parents called police at 3 a.m. when he did not return, Wilson said.
Police searched the area for Barber and called firefighters at 5:30 a.m. to assist in the search with their thermal imaging camera.
Police eventually found him on Power Terrace after following a set of footsteps in the snow from Stone Terrace, Wilson said. Power Terrace is one street over from Stone Terrace.
Firefighters initially called MedFlight to take the teenager to Boston, but the helicopter couldn't fly early yesterday because of treacherous weather conditions.
Seven inches of snow fell on New Year's Eve. Between 1 and 6 a.m. yesterday, when the boy was outside, the temperature dropped from 6 degrees to 3 degrees, with wind gusts around 30 mph, according to Salem meteorologist Arthur Francis.
Police said they could provide no information on the incident.
A phone call to the family's home last night was not returned.
