Workplace blast won't deter victim

Christian Strawn lay in the burns unit at Waikato Hospital yesterday, grateful the gas fireball which burnt his face, arms and hands didn't do any worse.
The 28-year-old was struck by the explosion about 2pm on Thursday as he was about to get into his truck at Gas Pro Products and Services on Newton St, Mount Maunganui, where he works.
The explosion happened after a colleague started to purge a 12kg 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.
About 4.30pm that day Mr Strawn was flown by helicopter to intensive care at Waikato Hospital and was moved to the burns unit yesterday.
The father of 3-year-old Ashleigh, and husband of eight years to third-year nursing student Vicki, said the explosion came from behind and he saw a flash of orange before excruciating pain set in.
Despite the explosion leaving ears ringing down the street, Mr Strawn said he did not recall the noise of the blast.
"I guess because I was in the midst of it I just didn't hear it," he said.
"I had no idea what hit me and then I just started burning."
Mr Strawn said he was helped under a cold shower in less than a minute, catching a glimpse of his reddened face in a mirror.
"I did go into a bit of shock, I just couldn't stop shaking and that was due to pain and shock," he said.
He has since been given the all-clear by an ear, nose and throat specialist.
Luckily, Mr Strawn's safety goggles double as his sunglasses and he was wearing them, as well as a hat, when the explosion happened.
He has also been told his burns should heal nicely, leaving minimum scarring.
Ironically, Mrs Strawn had recently completed the section on burns in her nursing course at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, where she was pulled from class to be told of the accident.
"I think she was a bit shaken but she understands it could have been worse," Mr Strawn said.
The former drainlayer had worked at Gas Pro for about seven or eight months and said he enjoyed the work, never dwelling on the potential for danger.
"It's never really hit me, I never really thought that this would happen," he said.
Mr Strawn said the small team of three at Gas Pro was close-knit and his colleagues had been following his recovery closely.
"I'll probably go back, it is my job, but I think when I do go back we might need to seriously look at things," he said.
"I'd need to know that it wouldn't happen again."
When the explosion occurred, Mr Strawn had already walked to his work truck once and returned to his boss's office with a second set of keys for the vehicle. Noticing the smell of gas in the room, Mr Strawn shut the office door behind him, which he said might have prevented them both being injured in the blast.
While some could consider Mr Strawn unlucky he described it as, "a bit of bad luck, but in a good way".
"I could have been a lot worse."
An investigation into the incident is being carried out by Tauranga City Council hazardous substances officer Jack Travis.