What a difference an hour makes. That's how long North Shore dentist Phil Martin spent dousing his badly burned face and hands with water after a rubbish fire "exploded" when he accidentally lit it with petrol. He had thought it was diesel.
"I was pretty upset when I first looked at myself. I had skin hanging off my face in the mirror of the car," said Martin.
Nobody was around on the 180ha farm overlooking Pakiri Beach, but it did have a vital resource: running water. Martin spurted it into his face then over his burned hands.
His right hand - the one that held the match - was worst affected, but thankfully didn't need skin grafts. He lost hair and eyebrows in the August 20 accident but they've grown back.
Nearly back to normal, he is ready to return to his Mairangi Bay practice, WM Dental and is grateful to the Westpac Rscue Helicopter.
