A man covered in burns all over his body sought help for his injuries Friday at a Santa Maria Fire Department station.

At 11:06 a.m., the burn victim — reportedly a Santa Maria resident in his 40s — was rushed into Fire Station 2 on West Carmen Way from a nearby residence, said Deputy Fire Chief Bob Moreno.

The man had burns all over his hands, face, legs, arms and torso and in respiratory distress, the official said.

Apparently, the man and the friend who had accompanied him to the fire station had been working on a car at a residence on the 400 block of West Street — which is directly around the corner from Station 2 — when vapors from the car’s gas tank caused the tank to ignite.

Firefighters immediately called an ambulance and treated the victim for his injuries until emergency medical crews could arrive and transport him to Marian Medical Center, Moreno said.

The victim may have been taken to Sherman Oaks Burn Center from Marian sometime later, but that could not be confirmed. Because the man’s name was not released to the public, Marian officials could not comment.

August 2, 2008

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