Boy burned in spa pool blast

A 12-year-old boy was treated in hospital for burns to his arms and face after gas from a spa pool heating system exploded.

St John Ambulance spokesman Tony Cronin told the Marlborough Express the boy had been lighting some sort of califont or gas cylinder to heat an outdoors hot tub at the weekend when the explosion happened.

He was taken to Blenheim's Wairau Hospital where he was treated and discharged.

Blenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade station officer Paul Fuller said it appeared the gas from the heating system had been run for too long and flashed back over the boy.

- NZPA