Mower fire causes serious injuries

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BEAVERCREEK — A woman mowing grass in Beavercreek suffered significant burns on her body Friday evening after the mower she was using caught fire. According to Beavercreek Township Fire Department Deputy Chief Scott Dorsten, bystanders in the area of the 2300 block of County Line Road reported hearing an explosion and looking over to see the operator getting off a lawnmower that was on fire.

“Bystanders rushed over to basically get her down and do the ‘stop, drop and roll’ to put the fire out that was on her,” Dorsten said. “She had significant burns over most of her body, so she was in serious condition when they removed her to the hospital.

“If it wasn’t for good Samaritans, it could have been a lot worse,” he said.

The woman’s condition and identity were not available Monday.

Dorsten said that it appeared the mower had been refueled, but that the fuel cap was not in place on the mower.

“We’re not sure whether it was vapors from the fuel tank or splashed fuel that ignited the fire, but they did find the fuel cap not on the tank,” he said.

“Any time you refuel a mower, you should make sure it’s cooled off before you refuel it,” Dorsten said. “Prior to restarting, make sure your gas cap is in place, there’s no excess fuel anywhere that’s been spilled on the mower. If you spill fuel, clean it up before you start it back up….”

By Nathan Pilling

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Reach Nathan Pilling at 937-502-4498 or on Twitter @XDGNatePilling.

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