Neil Ringe, 52, had his eyebrows and the hair from the top of his head burned off in the blast which blew the windscreen from his van and buckled the doors and roof
A van driver says he's lucky to be alive after fumes from an aerosol dashboard cleaner ignited - and his vehicle EXPLODED into a fireball.
Builder Neil Ringe, 52, had polished t he interior of his Vauxhall Astra van with the aerosol spray but was unaware that vapours were accumulating behind the dash.
When he turned the ignition key moments later, an electrical spark ignited the fumes - causing a huge blast which blew the vehicle's windscreen 30 yards down the road and buckled the doors and roof.
Some of the doors were also blown off and Neil suffered burns to his hands and forehead and had his eyebrows and the hair from the top of his head burned off.
He said: "When I finished cleaning it, I shut the window and started the engine and it went bang.
"It lifted the van off the ground. It put the windscreen 30 yards down the road, blew the back door over so it hit the roof and came back down again.
"I was just trying to get out. The door didn't work. I had climb out through the window.
"A couple of people helped me out the car. The fire brigade can't believe someone could walk out of it."
The blast happened after Neil cleaned his van outside his home in Yeovil, Somerset, on Sunday with a dashboard cleaner bought from Halfords.
He admitted he didn't read the instructions but had left the vehicle's window open because of the pungent vapours.
Firefighters believe that vapours sprayed from the can had become trapped behind the dashboard.
Neil said: "I feel very lucky. When I was out I ran my hand through my hair and all the black hair fell
off.
off.
Dad-of-five Neil was taken to Yeovil District Hospital where he spent Sunday afternoon being treated for burns.
Mike Burroughs, Fire Investigation Officer from Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, said the incident was a warning to other car owners.
"This is a very unusual incident and I am aware of only one other similar case from overseas," he said.
"The propellant used in almost all aerosols is highly flammable.
"In this case it seems that the vapours had collected in a confined space behind the dashboard and were ignited by an electrical spark.
"This caused a small fireball of very short duration.
"The doors and windows were shut so there was a rapid build-up of pressure.
"Please check the safety instructions when using aerosols and make sure your vehicle is well ventilated."
