Severe burns

Canister explodes in hand – man’s life in danger

A terrible accident happened on Saturday afternoon in the German municipality of Argenbühl, just a few kilometers from the Austrian border. A 75-year-old man was busy burning wood scraps when he made a fateful decision.

The man was busy burning wood scraps in a barbecue pan in Argenbühl near Ravensburg (Baden-Württemberg) at around 1 p.m. on Saturday. However, as the fire didn't really want to get going, the 75-year-old made a fateful decision.

The man poured methanol from a canister onto the barbecue tray in which the wood was burning. This caused a backfire in the canister, which then literally exploded. The burning liquid poured over the man.

Although the senior was able to extinguish the fire himself, he suffered life-threatening burns and was immediately flown by rescue helicopter to a specialist clinic.