Man burned lighting rubbish doused in petrol

A man received burns to 25 per cent of his body when he unwittingly set fire to a bonfire doused in petrol in Bainham, Golden Bay, last night.

Nelson St John ambulance station officer Gary Tobin said the 40-year-old man thought the bonfire, to burn rubbish, was doused in diesel.

"It was doused in petrol and he didn't know. It immediately flashed back when he lit it. He was able to jump in a stream nearby."

Mr Tobin said St John was alerted about 8.30pm and the Nelson Marlborough Community Trust rescue helicopter arrived at the property about 9pm.

Collingwood Fire Brigade, a local doctor and ambulance crew were on the scene when they arrived, he said.

Mr Tobin said the man suffered burns to all exposed areas of his body, including his head, face, arms below the T-shirt line and legs below the shorts line and above his gumboots.

He was in a stable condition when he arrived at Nelson Hospital last night.

- NZPA