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A 20-year-old New Plymouth man suffered severe burns to around 40 per cent of his body when lighting a fire with a substance thought to be petrol, a spokesman for the Westpac Waikato Air Ambulance said.
The victim was airlifted 250km to Auckland's Middlemore Hospital early today by the helicopter, which flew from Waikato to New Plymouth, then on to Auckland.
The flight from New Plymouth to Auckland took around 80 minutes, helicopter spokesman Grant Bremner said.
New Plymouth airport was closed due to resealing of the runway, so it was not possible to use a fixed wing aircraft.
The man was in intensive care in a stable condition awaiting surgery later today, Middlemore Hospital duty manager Brian Gabolinscy said.
He was expected to survive his injuries.
- NZPA
