Man seriously injured when gasoline can explodes in Wayne, cops say
By Justin Zaremba | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
January 05, 2016 at 3:33 PM
A 56-year-old man was seriously injured Sunday morning when a gasoline container he was pouring into a 50-gallon drum exploded, dousing him with the burning fuel, Wayne police said.
WAYNE, NEW JERSEY — A 56-year-old man was seriously injured Sunday morning when a gasoline container he was pouring into a 50-gallon drum exploded, dousing him with the burning fuel, police said.
Police responded to a home on Mack Street at about 9:35 a.m. after receiving a report of a "man on fire in the back yard," Wayne police Capt. Laurence Martin said in a news release.
Anthony Orsillo, of Newfoundland, was working on a house when he began pouring gasoline into the drum, Martin said. The drum apparently had a smoldering fire of wood and building debris inside it, which caused the gasoline to ignite and the container to explode, he said.
Martin said Orsillo was pouring gasoline on the debris and wood in order to burn it, and that the township building/zoning/health departments along with the fire bureau are looking into the incident.
Orsillo told officers he was employed by Domenico Construction when interviewed, Martin said. But according to attorney Charles Tempio, who represents Domenico Construction, Orsillo wasn't working for the company at the time as he was off that day.
Orsillo's hands, arms, face and chest were all doused with burning gasoline, Martin said. As of Monday evening, he was listed in stable condition.
The police captain previously said the man sustained third-degree burns.
Neighbors heard the explosion and Orsillo's cries for help so they responded and put out the flames, Martin said.
Orsillo was treated at the scene by police, the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad and an Advanced Life Support unit from St. Joseph's Medical Center in Paterson before he was rushed to the Paterson hospital. Due to the severity of his burns, he was later taken to the burn unit at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.
Orsillo's medical condition wasn't immediately available as of Monday afternoon.
The incident is being investigated by Sgt. Donald Pavlak of the Wayne Police Arson Squad, Martin said.