OJAI : Man, 29, Burned in Propane Explosion
A hand-held propane tank explosion in Ojai on Monday afternoon sent a 29-year-old man to the hospital with second-degree burns on his arms and head, authorities said.
Richard Abel of Ojai was listed in stable condition at Ojai Valley Hospital, said nursing supervisor Esther Martin. She added that Abel should recover fully.
Shortly after 2 p.m., the Ventura County Fire Department received a call about an explosion and fire in the 1300 block of Grand Avenue in Ojai, said department spokesman Karen Nelson.
When firefighters arrived, they found the fire and Abel suffering from the burns.
The fire was put out within 10 minutes of firefighters’ arrival, Nelson said.
Abel was transferring propane from one foot-long cylinder to another when a nearby water heater sparked gas that had leaked from a hose and settled close to the ground, Nelson said.
The explosion occurred beneath a carport.
The owner of the property, Jerry Logan, said there was no damage to his home or the trailer next to the carport, in which his son lives.
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