Man Suffers Burns While Performing Maintenance on an Air Compressor

June 10, 2009
Flammable gas build-up ignited as he stood over the hole of the air receiver.

An explosion in an aircraft hangar at Wynyard has left a young Coastal man with serious burns. The 22-year-old man was airlifted to the Royal Hobart Hospital yesterday afternoon after the incident, considered to be an industrial accident. It occurred just before noon.

He was reported to be in a serious but stable condition.

North-West ambulance supervisor Norrie Hayes said such explosions were rare but often fatal. The accident happened at Island Air Maintenance in hangar three at the Burnie Airport, a Workplace Standards spokesman said.

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