York woman was decanting petrol between containers when fumes ignited, setting fire to clothes and inflicting 40% burns
A woman has suffered serious burns to her whole body after fumes from petrol she was transferring between containers in her kitchen was ignited by the cooker.
The woman was decanting fuel at her home in York on Thursday when it ignited and set fire to her clothing, resulting in 40% burns. She was treated on the scene by paramedics, before being taken to Pinderfields hospital with "serious and significant" burns to her whole body, said North Yorkshire fire service spokesman Peter Hudson.
"Her daughter asked her mum for petrol because she had run out," said Hudson. "She did not think about the fact the gas cooker was on. The petrol then went up and she got burnt. Thankfully we were there very quickly."
Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish the blaze in the kitchen and removed the remaining petrol.
The accident took place as some petrol stations ran dry amid fear of a possible tanker drivers' strike. Government minister Francis Maude was criticised by fire chiefs for suggesting people should fill jerry cans with petrol to prepare for potential industrial action – because of the threat of fire.
The Cabinet Office minister issued his advice as the government drew up contingency plans to deal with the threat of industrial action by drivers.
Downing Street had no initial comment on the York accident, or on the subject of whether David Cameron thought Francis Maude's advice was in any way responsible for the woman's injuries. But Toby Harris, a Labour peer, said Maude should resign. On his Twitter account he wrote: "This woman was following advice from Govt Minister Francis Maude & ends up with 40% burns. Disgraceful. He shd resign."
But the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said the advice to motorists to store jerry cans of petrol in their garages was wrong and must be withdrawn. The union warned it would "massively increase" the risk of fires and explosions.
It is against the law to store more than 10 litres of petrol in two five-litre plastic containers in the home. It is not clear whether the incident in York is directly connected to fears of a strike but it comes within days of Maude's comments.
Hudson warned other members of the public to take extreme care when handling and storing petrol.
"In domestic situations fuel containers must not be stored in living accommodation such as kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms or under staircases. Any storage place should be well away from living areas and be secured to protect against the possibility of vandalism or arson.
"Never bring petrol inside your home. If you do smell petrol fumes in a garage or outbuilding ventilate the area and make sure nobody smokes or turns electrical switches on or off. The slightest spark could cause an explosion."