Man In Newport Seriously Injured After Using Gasoline to Burn Brush Pile

A man in Newport suffered second- and third-degree burns this week after he used gasoline to ignite a brush pile, fire officials said.

Firefighters were called to a farm on Golf Course Road Tuesday at about 11:30 a.m.

Sgt. Scott Richardson of the state fire marshal's office told CentralMaine.com the man, 21, put “a large amount of gasoline” on the brush.

Witnesses said the man lit a stick and then tossed it onto the brush pile.

Richardson said “It ended up flashing back,” and the man suffered burns on his arms and face.

The man was not a resident of the farm where the incident occurred.

He was initially taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor and then transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland.