BINGHAM, Maine — A Bingham man suffered burns to his legs, arms and face on Tuesday night after attempting to restart a fire in his wood stove with gasoline, said Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland.
Brad Zinkovitch was rushed to Redington-Fairview Hospital in Skowhegan by Kennebec Valley Ambulance.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire flashed as the gas was being poured in the wood stove from a plastic container, McCausland said Wednesday.
The Bingham Fire Department responded to the call at 8:05 p.m. Tuesday. Chief Scott Laweryson said the single-story ranch on Murray Street sustained heavy smoke and heat damage.
“One room has some structural damage,” Laweryson said. “The house is still standing and repairable, but I don’t think it’s habitable right now.”
A woman and two children living at the home escaped the fire without injury, although four family pets were killed, said McCausland.
I can’t believe people still do this.
It’s usually not good for the chimney either. Somebody who thinks they got away with this might end up dead in the future because of the damage they did to the chimney.
I’ll bet some people think that gasoline and kerosene act the same way. Whereas kerosene will flare up, gasoline reacts in a more explosive way. Then again, some people have that juvenile mentality of “that only happens to other people – not to me.”
In Reply To…… people think that gasoline and kerosene act the same way……..Movies and Television lead people to think that way. Kerosene is probably used in place of Gasoline in the movies as people light a match and watch the Flames burn slowly while in reality any spark in an enclosed area will cause Gasoline fumes to Explode. A few drops of Gasoline in an enclosed space will do as much damage when ignited as dynamite will. Gasoline Fumes are Heavier than air and lie in the lowest areas in enclosed spaces and that is why a boat must have any fumes in the hull vented out through an exhaust fan before using the starter which causes a spark in the engine compartment. Anyone who takes a small boat handling course will learn this although it is something everyone should know.
Here’s your sign.
Start a woodstove with gasoline . . . What could go wrong?
geez, i just use motor oil to get mine going.