Man in intensive care after blast at city workshop

A gas explosion in Mount Maunganui that shattered windows and blew panels of corrugated iron off a roof left a man with severe burns to his face, arms and hands.
The 28-year-old man was struck by flames about 2pm yesterday as he was about to get into his truck at Gas Pro Products and Services on Newton St where he works. He was flown last night by the TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter from Tauranga Hospital to Waikato Hospital. He was in a serious condition in the intensive care unit today.
The explosion happened after a colleague started to purge a 12 kg gas cylinder at the outdoor cylinder filling station. Wind carried LPG through an open door and inside the building, where it was ignited by a portable LPG cabinet heater.
The explosion carried 10m to the man who was walking out of the building to a courtyard, briefly enveloping him in flame. Staff rushed to his aid and put him in a cold shower next to the staffroom.
Firefighters were quickly at the scene and the man was wrapped in a blanket and given oxygen until the ambulance arrived.
Mount Maunganui St John area manager Gary Bishell said the man suffered moderate to serious burns and praised his colleagues for cooling him down quickly.
The explosion shattered two large windows, blew panels of corrugated iron off the showroom roof and knocked stock on to the floor.
The flames consumed the gas and burnt out, before anything on the premises ignited.
At the time of the explosion between 40 and 50 other gas cylinders were in the courtyard, Tauranga City Council hazardous substances officer Jack Travis said.
Mr Travis, who is also employed by the Department of Labour, said the bottles could have exploded if there had been a fire after the explosion.
He said the mixture of gas and air was caused by the purging of a new gas bottle.
Purging is a technique used to release trapped air in a new gas bottle as it is filled with gas for the first time.
The employee who was purging the gas bottle was not injured.
Mr Travis said he could not yet say whether correct procedures had been carried out by the gas business.
"We should have some kind of result by the end of the week."
He said the business held all the correct and up-to-date certification needed to handle gas.
Gas Pro Products and Services owner operator Kevin Bremer said he had never seen such an accident in the 12 years he had worked in the gas industry.
"It's pretty upsetting to be honest. We do everything by the book. It's terrible. But there is nothing you can do about it."
Neighbouring business owner Mike Rockliffe said the "huge explosion" was so powerful it knocked stereos and pictures off the shelf in his City Auto Spares reception area.
He and two of his workers fled down the street in case there was a second explosion.
"All our ears were ringing. It was a serious explosion all right."
Workers at another neighbouring business, Plum'In, said the explosion shook their building.
"Thank God it's a sturdy building," said Plum'In owner Louise Pyne.
"We could smell the gas. It's given me a headache," she said.
Across the road at Total Exide Lubricants and Wholesalers Ltd, staff member Mike Hemingway said the explosion caused the widows in his shop to "flex".
He said he could see flames, "but they didn't last long. It's lucky it didn't catch on to any other bottles".