A Salt Lake City woman was in serious condition Tuesday after she apparently touched off an oxygen tank fire with her cigarette.
Salt Lake City Fire Department spokesman Scott Freitag said the tank did not explode, but the high level of the gas greatly increased the combustibility of her mask, clothing and skin, resulting in burns to her face and chest about 8:20 p.m. Monday.
While oxygen itself is not flammable, the higher its percentage, the more rapidly combustion of available fuels takes place.
The woman, who also suffered minor inhalation burns, was transported from her home in the 1000 block of north Redwood Road to the University of Utah’s Intermountain Burn Center.
Published in the Salt Lake Tribune on Feb 15, 2011
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