Taxi Driver Badly Burnt By 'Fireball' After Sanitising Hands And Using Lighter

*WARNING - CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES*

A taxi driver has been left badly burnt after he sanitised his hands before using a cigarette lighter.

Brian Hutchinson, from Newcastle, UK, was cleaning his vehicle while waiting for a job to come through when he noticed the lighter had been left in the back seat.

The 42-year-old decided to test if it worked, but within the blink of an eye he had been engulfed by a 'fireball'.

North News and Pictures Ltd.

He was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary and given morphine, but he said: "When that wore off I knew about it - the pain was horrendous."

He subsequently spent seven weeks in the hospital receiving treatment for severe burns, undergoing multiple operations and skin grafts.

Recounting the horrific incident, the dad-of-two said: "I had just been cleaning the vehicle while waiting for a job offer.

"I noticed there was a dropped lighter in the back seat off my car.

"I had just sanitised my hands so rubbed the palm on my leg to dry them, but the tops of my hands were still wet.

"I picked the lighter up and sparked it to see if worked."

He continued: "The back of my hand then caught alight, then as I went to open the door to throw the lighter, my other hand caught alight, then there was, like, a fireball inside the car that hit my face and went over my head.

"It lasted literally seconds but as you've seen from the pictures it has left me worse for wear.

"I have been in hospital for seven weeks, I have had skin grafts on both hands, on my head, and ears."

Brian's second child, who is now just five weeks old, was born while he was still in hospital.

But now he is finally back at home with his family; however, he faces a long road to recovery and has to wear pressure garments on his skin, possibly for years to come.

North News and Pictures Ltd.

Brian said: "I want to say a big thank you to all the staff on Ward 37 burns unit at the RVI, I appreciate everything they have done for me."

Due to his injuries, he is unable to work, but a GoFundMe has been set up to support his family during this tough time.

You can donate here.

Topics: UK News

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey