The man’s home was also gutted and his two cars damaged. It is said there was load shedding in the area when the incident occurred on 2 July. Volunteer Emergency Medical Response Unit (VEMRU) spokesperson Casper Visser said the man was taken to hospital with serious burn wounds to the face and limbs. The man is said to have been spared the worst injuries because he quickly jumped into the swimming pool extinguishing the fire from his body. The patient then reportedly received advanced life support intervention and was transported to a nearby hospital by Netcare 911.

“No one else was injured because the rest of the family and the pets managed to escape. The house was seriously damaged and it is not in a good condition at all. City of Tshwane firefighters also arrived to extinguish the blaze just as it entered the main house, saving most of the house,” Visser said. Visser said the family also lost two cars and many other items in the house. He added that the cause of the explosion and the fire is not yet known, however, investigations are underway.