Man suffers serious burns in blast

A 57-year-old man was listed in stable condition in a Phoenix hospital Wednesday after suffering burns over more than half of his body when a vehicle fuel tank exploded as he was cutting it with a torch, according to firefighters.

The accident occurred at about 10:20 a.m. Wednesday at the 3150 W. County 16th St. Renee Hernandez of Mexicali, Baja Calif., was using a cutting torch to remove the gas tank from a vehicle that was on its side, according to the Somerton/Cocopah Fire Department.

The man cut through a gas line that still contained fuel, causing the fuel to flash in an explosion that burned his face, neck, chest and back, the fire department said in a news release.

"It blew up in his face, basically," said Robby Rodriguez, spokesman for the fire department.

The man's clothes, hat and welding goggles were burned in the extreme heat, the fire department said.

Fire department paramedics rushed him to Yuma Regional Medical Center with second-degree burns over more than 50 percent of his body, the release said. He was alert and speaking to paramedics but was in extreme pain, the department said.

He was later airlifted to Maricopa County Burn Center in Phoenix.

The Yuma County Sheriff's Office also investigated the accident.

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Jennifer Lovell can be reached at jlovell@yumasun.com or 539-6849.