Lye ingestion is still a frequent cause of benign esophageal stricture. Lye corrosion is, though infrequent, a well recongnized causative factor of esophageal cancer. A considerable number of such cancers are reviewed in the literature. This report concerns a 15 years old boy who swallowed lye 12 years ago and recently developed a carcinoma at the site of the stricture complicated by esophagotracheal fistula and a fatal bronchopneumonia.