North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) attended a domestic property fire the Acomb area of York yesterday evening at 17:59 hrs.
The incident involved a 46 year old female occupier who was de-canting petrol in her kitchen from one container to another using a glass jug, the petrol was ignited by a flame from a gas cooker and set fire to her clothing.
The casualty was treated by ambulance personnel and then taken to the specialist burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield with 40% burns to her whole body, her condition is serious but stable. 2 firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish a small fire in the kitchen and removed the remaining petrol and it’s container to open air.
Peter Hudson spokesman for NYFRS said:
Members of the public should take extreme care when handling and storing petrol and be aware of the risks associated with incorrect use and storage of fuel. In domestic situations fuel containers must not be stored in living accommodation such as kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms or under staircases. Any storage place should be well away from living areas and be secured to protect against the possibility of vandalism or arson.
Never bring petrol in side your home. If you do smell petrol fumes in a garage or out building ventilate the area and make sure nobody smokes or turns electrical switches on or off. The slightest spark could cause an explosion.
