A MAN was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening burns after a liquid exploded, burst into flames and set his clothes on fire.

Roddy Ashworth

A MAN was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening burns after a liquid exploded, burst into flames and set his clothes on fire.

The accidental explosion happened at an industrial estate in Shoeburyness shortly before 2pm.

Colleagues of the man quickly rolled him on the floor in an attempt to put out the blaze and called the emergency services.

Paramedics wrapped the man's worst injuries in clingfilm and called the Essex air ambulance.

Ambulance manager Rick Davis said: “A man, believed to be in his 40s and from the Chelmford area, had been working when a liquid exploded.

“Upon arrival we quickly assessed the man and found he'd suffered serious burns to his face and body, as well as his airway. One of our first priorities was to administer pain relief.

“We also cooled the patient's burns and wrapped them in cling film to help prevent infection.

“When the air ambulance arrived, the doctor on board decided the best option for the patient would be rapid sequence induction (RSI).

“In this procedure the patient is quickly anaesthetised with a series of injections, and his breathing is then managed by the clinical team.”

The man was airlifted to Broomfield Hospital, which has a specialist burns unit.

“Upon take-off from the scene the patient was in a stable condition,” Mr Davis said.

“Unfortunately, burns of this nature can be potentially life-threatening, but we feel confident we've given this man the best possible chances for survival."