A dentist has told how he suffered burns to his face and hands after he tried to start a fire with what he thought was diesel.
Phil Martin was lighting a rubbish fire at Pakiri north of Auckland last Saturday when he was engulfed by flames.
He did not know petrol had been added to the waste diesel.
"It engulfed me entirely. My reaction was to spring back and dive into the wet grass. I could hear a sizzle as it put fires out on my body."
Martin was taken to Middlemore Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter but was discharged on Monday and is expected to make a full recovery.
