WEST JORDAN, Utah, Aug. 22, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A West Jordan man has progressed from critical to stable condition after accidentally lighting himself on fire last week.
The 67-year-old victim, whose name has not been released, was in his backyard with friends, and poured gasoline on some weeds he was burning in a fire pit.
Bryan Crump, West Jordan Fire Department battalion chief, said when the victim added gasoline on the fire, the flame traveled up the stream of gas and into the container, which blew up, covering the man with fuel and flames.
Crump said the victim burned for about a minute before his friends managed to get him to stop, drop and roll.
The West Jordan Fire Department responded to a dispatch call at about 9:20 p.m. Wednesday. The victim was transported to the University Hospital burn center by medical helicopter.
Original estimates were that the man was burned over 40 percent of his body, but Crump said that now that the victim’s first-degree burns have begun to heal, the remaining, more serious second- and third-degree burn covered about 15 percent of his body, on his face and torso.
“He is still incubated, and he’s still on a feeding tube, but he’s stable,” Crump said.
“He’s got a lot of healing to do, but it looks like he’s got a good prognosis.”
Crump advised people with fires to resist the urge to add accelerants.
“Don’t use any flammable liquids, gas or hairspray. Don’t use any liquid, and don’t pour it on open flames,” he said.
People who do catch fire should act quickly to minimize injury, Crump said.
“Stop, drop and roll. Cover your face with your hands. Do everything you can to protect your airway.”
