Elderly man with horror burns still critically ill

Photo / Herald on Sunday

A 79-year-old who suffered horrific burns in an accident in his flat was in a critical condition in hospital last night.

Alan Evens spent up to 24 hours trapped in his armchair with his arm wedged against a heater.

He was discovered in his Waihi home on Wednesday morning when he did not answer the door to his caregiver.

Waihi police Senior Sergeant Rex Knight said the caregiver thought she could hear Mr Evens calling out and rang police for help. Officers forced their way into the house.

"We got into the home and he was on the floor, but his arm was hooked in through the arm of the chair.

"For whatever reason he couldn't get himself free. It may have been he was there for some time."

Mr Knight said the armchair had an open side, and it appeared Mr Evens had fallen and wedged his arm through the side.

The man's arm was trapped near an electric bar heater, and his lower left arm was badly burned. Circulation to the arm appeared to have been cut off at the elbow. "It was almost like a tourniquet," Mr Knight said.

Constable Jane Dowling of Waihi police said: "He'd been in that position for some time, possibly up to 24 hours.

"He'd fallen at an angle and then his arm was kind of caught, his arm was trapped in the arm rest."

The man was to have surgery at Waikato Hospital on Wednesday night and was in a serious condition.

Waihi St John Ambulance officers took Mr Evens to nearby Morgan Park where they were met by the Tauranga-based TECT Rescue Helicopter, crewed by Tauranga St John paramedics.

Pilot Liam Brettkelly said the man was airlifted to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition.

He said the helicopter was called to "get him to Waikato pretty quickly because his arm was pretty bad".

The incident has shocked Age Concern and neighbours.

Mr Evens lives in council flats on Kenny Rd and is well known for taking daily walks down the street and through town.

Neighbour Kau Tule lives in the unit next door and said he did not hear anything from his neighbour's home on Tuesday night.

"On Sunday night I heard the TV going. On Monday and Tuesday night it was very quiet but the light was on all Monday and Tuesday, and yesterday morning the light was still on," Mr Tule said.

"The cleaner [carer] came around and the door was not open. She knocked and knocked on the door but it was not open. She went up to council to get a key and must have asked for the police."

Mr Tule said Mr Evens had lived at the flats for about seven years, and mostly kept to himself.

"He stays in there with the television and comes out and goes straight to the pub every day of the week."

Neighbour Noeline Herbert, who lives behind Mr Evens, said she was upset to hear that he had been lying injured on his own for hours.

"I know he's on his own. Luckily the caregiver came that day. He keeps to himself, we don't see much of him."

Mrs Herbert was not sure if the man had any family, but had not seen anyone visiting.

Neighbour Jim Orchard was also upset to learn of the incident.

"It is very sad. One of his neighbours might have heard him, but older people like myself, our hearing's not too good."

Age Concern Tauranga president Angela Scott said the "very tragic incident" highlighted the dangers of people living alone.

- APN