Freak Explosion Burns Oak View Man
A 29-year-old Oak View man was seriously burned Wednesday evening in an explosion on the front porch of his trailer home, Ventura County fire officials said.
Scott Vodak was burning wood in a 55-gallon drum shortly after 5 p.m. in front of his home at 20 Feliz Drive when fumes from a nearby gas can apparently burst into flames, fire officials said. An ensuing fireball inflicted second- and third-degree burns to Vodak’s lower torso.
Vodak immediately wrapped himself in either old carpeting or a blanket to smother the flames, fire officials said. He then jumped up and threw himself into a spa about 50 feet away. He was taken to Ojai Valley Hospital, and later transported to the Sherman Oaks Burn Center.
“It appeared to be a very freakish accident from the pieces that I could put together,” said Capt. Lee Hill of the Ventura County Fire Department. “It just shows how important it is to keep gasoline away from open flames.”
There were no other injuries and no visible damage to the trailer home, Hill said. An investigation is continuing.
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