Gold Bar man airlifted after trying to start fire with gas

GOLD BAR — A Gold Bar man was airlifted to a hospital Saturday with severe burns after a burn barrel exploded in his yard.

The man had used gasoline to start a scrap wood fire in the backyard of his house on Fifth Street, Sky Valley Fire Chief Eric Andrews said.

Firefighters were called to the home around 10:30 a.m. to find the man had suffered burns to his face and body. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in what was believed to be critical condition. Andrews did not have an update on the man’s condition as of Saturday.

The fire chief asked that people heed caution when starting a fire and to avoid using gasoline at all cost.

“Never, ever, ever, ever, ever use gasoline to start a fire,” Andrews said. “People do not understand the explosive nature of gasoline — especially when it’s poured out and vaporized.”