Teens badly burned when gas bottle explodes in their faces

Tai Tupolo speaks to police about the incident involving her son. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Two teenagers are seriously ill in Middlemore Hospital with extensive burns after a gas cylinder is thought to have exploded in their faces.

Seventeen-year-old George Mchardy and a 14-year-old friend screamed for help when they arrived injured at separate businesses at the Westgate shopping centre yesterday.

Westgate Repco duty manager Benj Bollard said Mr Mchardy came running into the store about 1.45pm screaming, "I'm burned, I'm burned".

"I took him into the bathroom and he started flicking water at his face." He then took him outside and began pouring a bucket of water over him.

"The skin was just hanging off his face and the back of his hand had already started to bubble."

Some of his hair was missing and there were some less serious burns to the back of his neck. "I asked him what happened and he said they were playing with LPG and someone lit a cigarette and it exploded."

The young man was in shock but was able to tell of his concern for his friend's little brother, who was present when the explosion occurred.

His T-shirt was badly burned and a "scorched" hoodie was later found around the corner.

Nasir Mehmood, of the Westgate Shell station, said he saw the group arrive in a white van.

One man was crying, with bad burns to his chest and hands. "I took water to him ... When I did that he smelled like petrol."

His burns were so fierce Mr Mehmood did not want to look at him. "His brother was looking after him." The brother was not injured, he said.

He saw two others run away from the van before the police and ambulance arrived and believed they, too, were burned.

Emergency services were told there was a third victim but were unable to find the person. Police went to Mr Mchardy's Massey home and inspected a garage, believing the explosion may have happened there.

But his mother, Tai Tupolo, said nothing happened at their house. She had not seen her son all day because "someone came and picked him up really early".

Speaking from the intensive care unit at Middlemore Hospital last night, Ms Tupolo said she had not been able to speak to her son because he was connected to machines. He was to have surgery last night and was listed in a serious but stable condition, as was the 14-year-old.