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22 burnt in 20 accelerant accidents in 12 weeks

06:45   25 Jan 2012

 

Paramedics treated 22 people burnt in 20 accelerant fuelled fires across the state.

The accidents over the past 12-weeks, injured people aged between two and 74.

On Friday, a 13 year-old boy was put into a coma by paramedics after he was burnt using an accelerant to start a fire at Mt Eliza.

Nine of the accidents occurred in two weeks in November.

Air ambulance Intensive care flight paramedic Jason Hunter was called to treat two of those burnt in separate accidents.

‘The predominant injury was flash burns due to the large flame coming back onto the patients and burning the face, head necks, arms and chest.

‘Most have been what we call deep partial-thickness burns which were blistered.

‘The burns are very painful especially in the short term,” Mr Hunter said.

The majority of the accidents involved an accelerant being poured onto a rubbish fire or barbeque.

Three children aged 10, 12 and 13 were hurt in one of four accidents caused by aerosol cans.

Some of the 22 injured suffered burns to their airway, Mr Hunter said.

‘With these flash burns people inhale the flame and a huge amount of heat which results in burns to their airway often affecting the lungs and trachea.

‘These burns can cause a lot of swelling which can restrict the airway so we intubate them which means putting them to sleep and putting a breathing tube into their airway.

‘I’ve encountered people who have died as a result of these type of accidents. I don’t think people realise the full potential of the accidents when they pour petrol onto a large amount of rubbish or wood to get the fire started,’ Mr Hunter said.

DATE LOCATION INCIDENT
3 Nov. Somers Man poured petrol on tree branch near fire
3 Nov. Maffra 15 year-old boy used petrol to start fire
5 Nov. Heathcote Two year-old girl poured fuel from a can her father used to start fire
6 Nov. Garfield North 25 year-old man injured by aerosol can thrown into fire
6 Nov. Koo Wee Rup 64 year-old man poured fuel on fire
12 Nov. Millgrove 54 year-old man poured fuel on fire
13 Nov. Longwood 25 year-old man poured fuel onto bonfire
14 Nov. Buxton 36 year-old man poured fuel onto fire
14 Nov. Kalorama 22 year-old man poured fuel onto fire
3 Dec. Narre Warren 14 year-old threw aerosol can onto fire
10 Dec. Endeavour Hills Boys aged 10, 12, 13 playing with aerosol and lighter
12 Dec. Ballarat region  24 year-old man injured when fuel was poured onto fire 
17 Dec.  Benalla  52 year-old man used fuel to light barbeque 
18 Dec. Lonwarry  61 year-old man used fuel on fire 
19 Dec.  Rosedale 18 year-old man used fuel to light barbeque
28 Dec. Pascoe Vale  74 year-old man used fuel on rubbish fire 
28 Dec.  Carapooee West 15 year-old boy used fuel on  pot belly stove
7 Jan. Launching Place  22 year-old man used fuel on fire
13 Jan.  Gisborne  29 year-old man used aerosol and lighter on combustion heater 
20 Jan.  Mt. Eliza  13 year-old boy used fuel on backyard fire 
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