A 33-year-old man is in a serious condition after being set alight in a horror accident in Malaga on Sunday.
The incident took place around 11pm at Sushi Saki, located in the Plaza Mayor shopping complex.
The man had been dining on the terrace with his girlfriend and a friend when a flammable gel used to heat food ignited unexpectedly, engulfing him in flames, reports Diario Sur.
Such gels are typically used in chafing dishes or other small heating devices that keep food warm.
Emergency services were flooded with calls from bystanders. The man was treated at the scene by paramedics before being transferred to Malaga’s Regional Hospital with second and third degree burns.
Witnesses told police that a waiter had initially lit the flame gel without incident. However, after the heat source cooled, diners requested it be reignited.
When the waiter poured more liquid onto the container, it triggered a sudden flare-up, setting the man’s clothing alight.
He suffered burns to his face, neck, chest, and arms, affecting roughly 20% of his body.
Due to the seriousness of his injuries, a transfer to the burns unit at the specialist Virgen del Rocio Hospital in Sevilla is being considered.
The Policia Nacional have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
