Glen Burnie Man Seriously Injured By Exploding Can: Officials

GLEN BURNIE, MD — A 46-year-old Glen Burnie man was taken to the burn center at John Hopkins Bayview Hospital for burns to his upper torso, face, arms and hands. According to the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, the man sustained serious injuries after throwing an aerosol paint can into a burning fire pit. The can ruptured and the explosion caused flames to burn the man.

The Anne Arundel County Fire Department reminds residents to abide by the following safety tips when using a fire pit or burning yard waste:

• Supervise children at all times. Instruct them to stay at least 10 feet away from the fire.
• Instruct children that fire pits and embers remain extremely hot even into the next day. Prevent children from approaching the fire pit until the temperature returns to normal.
• Prevent intoxicated persons from getting near an open fire.
• Disclose a fire pit to your homeowner’s insurance company to be sure you are covered if someone is injured or property is damaged.
• Check wind direction before lighting the fire to be sure sparks are not blown toward flammable materials, objects, and structures.
• Avoid wearing loose-fitting or flammable clothing, like nylon, that can easily catch fire.
• Be aware that softwoods, such as pine and cedar, tend to throw sparks and pop.
• Have a working fire extinguisher ready and know how to extinguish fires and dispose of ashes and embers properly.

The requirements for open fires, fire pits, bonfires and open burning can be found on the Anne Arundel County Department of Health website at https://aahealth.org/openburn/.