A PETROL explosion in Dandenong South on Monday has left a 42-year-old man with serious burns.
Advanced life support paramedics from Clyde and intensive care paramedics from Dandenong were called to a construction site on Redgum Drive, Dandenong South, at 1.20pm.
Police said they believe the man opened a jerry can on the back of ute, which had been in the heat for an extended period of time.
It is believed the petrol squirted on the man and the heat from the generator ignited the victim, engulfing him in flames.
Intensive care paramedic Steve Wood said they arrived to find the man in an extreme amount of pain.
“He was opening a can of petrol which had pressurised in the heat and it burst violently out of the can onto a generator causing an explosion,” Mr Wood said.
“The 42-year-old man suffered serious burns to his forearms, hands and lower legs.”
Mr Wood said paramedics wrapped the burns in burns dressings, put a drip in his arm and gave him a significant amount of pain relief to help stabilise his condition.
He was also given fluids to help raise his blood pressure.
The man was taken to The Alfred hospital in a serious but stable condition,” Mr Wood said.
Director of WorkSafe’s Construction and Utilities Division Chris Webb said the incident was being investigated but warned of the potential dangers from mixing heat and petrol.
“The danger of a fire is always possible when fuel or vapours come into contact with flame or a hot component, but the risk is magnified in hot weather,” he said.
“Extreme care is needed during refuelling of any type of equipment.”
Fire investigators are also examining the incident.
– Lia Bichel
