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Garage Flash Fire Severely Burns Palm Bay Man

By  //  June 9, 2013

spark from vacuum ignites victim

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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – An unidentified male, possibly in his 30s, suffered serious burns over 60 percent of his body after a flash fire in the garage of his home Sunday evening around 7:15 p.m., according to Yvonne Martinez, Palm Bay Public Information Coordinator.

An unidentified male, possibly in his 30s, suffered serious burns over 60 percent of his body after a flash fire in the garage of his home Sunday evening around 7:15 p.m., according to Yvonne Martinez, Palm Bay Public Information Coordinator.
An unidentified male, possibly in his 30s, suffered serious burns over 60 percent of his body after a flash fire in the garage of his home Sunday evening around 7:15 p.m., according to Yvonne Martinez, Palm Bay Public Information Coordinator.

Palm Bay Fire-Rescue firefighters and paramedics responded to the 1300 block of Waffle St. SE for a reported structure fire and a witness reported seeing his neighbor on fire, and running out of the house. Family members of the man immediately took the victim to the hospital.

There were three other people inside the home at the time of the fire.

When firefighters arrived on the scene there was fire in the garage. Firefighters stopped further spreading of the fire and contained the damage, which is estimated at approximately $20,000.

VICTIM SYPHONING FUEL

According to Martinez, Further investigation revealed the victim was inside the garage with the door closed and the victim was syphoning fuel out of a vehicle with a “shop-vac”. The closed garage filled with vapor and it’s believed a spark from the vacuum ignited the victim, along with the contents of the garage.

The victim was treated at the hospital and is currently being airlifted to an Orlando burn center. The fire marshal is investigating and police detectives are also responding.

The condition and identity of the victim is not currently available.

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