Cooking Spray Can Explosion Seriously Burns Toms River Woman: Police

TOMS RIVER, NJ -- A Toms River woman suffered severe burns to her face Friday when a can of nonstick spray exploded while she was cooking, police said Saturday.

The 46-year-old woman was flown to the Burn Center at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston for treatment after the accident that happened about 5:20 p.m., said Ralph Stocco, Toms River Police Department spokesman.

When police, fire and EMS units arrived at the Almond Drive address, they found the woman on the front porch with extensive burns to her face, torso and thighs, Stocco said.

Officer Anthony Paciulli saw heavy smoke condition coming from within the house and made his way to the kitchen where he found a small fire that firefighters quickly extinguished, Stocco said.

The initial indications are that the woman was cooking when the spray can exploded, releasing super-heated liquid and flames that burned the woman, Stocco said.

She was treated by Silverton Volunteer EMS before being flown by medivac, Stocco said, and the Silverton Fire Department secured the scene and ventilate the home of excess smoke, he said.

Detective James Carey, of the Toms River Police Department and Arson Detective Thomas Haskell from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office are conducting the investigation. Also assisting is Investigator Domenick Roseli of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention.

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