A MAN is in intensive care after sustaining serious burns and injuring his head after a barbecue fire on Portland.

The man, aged 31, was rushed to Dorset County Hospital just after 7pm on Sunday after he used barbeque lighter fluid on a barbecue at his home on Hamcroft in Easton.

The fire quickly flared out of control and burnt the man, resulting in him suffering facial burns and also suffering a wound to the head.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) was called to the fire shortly after 7pm by the South Western Ambulance Service, but found that the fire had been extinguished by a bucket of water.

A 23-year-old woman was also treated at the scene by paramedics, although her injuries were not serious and she did not require hospital treatment. The man was taken by ambulance to hospital, and remains in intensive care at DCH.

The incident has now sparked renewed warnings from DFRS about the use of barbecues and flammable liquids in the summer months.

A spokesman for DFRS said: “With the spell of warmer weather we have had recently, people have been enjoying barbecues.

“But we urge the public to allow enough time to enjoy these safely and not be tempted to use accelerants as they can react in an unpredictable manner.”

Dave Prior, community safety manager at DFRS, said “It’s natural to want to go outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather with family and friends - many of us can’t wait to get the barbecue lit.

“We all know how tempting it can be to give stubborn coals a helping hand, but, please be patient and make sure you use the right tools for the job.

“In light of the recent events we would strongly encourage anyone using a barbecue to use lighting materials as prescribed by the manufacturer and not to take any unnecessary risks.”

He added that people should always keep a bucket of water on standby and to make sure they were not in an area close to other buildings where fire spread could occur.

He added: “Enjoy the summer sunshine but please be careful.”