Local News in Brief : Pacoima Man Burned by Ignited Gas Fumes
A Pacoima man was in extremely critical condition at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center’s burn unit Saturday night after suffering third-degree burns over 95% of his body in a flash fire, a Los Angeles City Fire Department spokesman said.
The victim, Cosne Valenzuela, 35, was using gasoline to clean auto parts when a pilot light from a nearby water heater ignited the fumes and engulfed him in flames, firefighter Jim Williamson said.
The accident occurred Friday at 4:47 p.m. in a two-story apartment building in the 12000 block of Pierce Street, Williamson said. Three people in the building suffered minor cuts when they became alarmed by the flames and jumped out of a second-story window, he said.
Valenzuela was taken to Lake View Medical Center and airlifted to County-USC Friday night, a hospital spokeswoman said.
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