Father's deodorant caught fire
Philip Hogder, 32 and a father-of-five, was on a life support machine for two weeks after suffering horrific burns to 30 per cent of his body.
He had sprayed his armpits and chest with a well-known brand of anti-perspirant just before he tried to light a barbecue in front of his family. But a spark from a match hit his body and Philip – who was only wearing shorts and a vest – was turned into a "human torch" as the flammable antiperspirant went up in flames.
He was left with fire raging all over his neck, arms and chest in front of his five children, aged three to 12.
His partner Tonii Gardner, 28, saved his life by grabbing a hosepipe and dousing his body with water as he desperately rolled around on the ground.
Philip, a carer for disabled children, spent two weeks on a life support machine and is now recovering at home, but is in constant pain and will be scarred for life.
He said: "I have lit many barbecues before and fires with the Scouts and never been hurt. This was horrendous – I was suddenly burning and my children witnessed it all.
"Tonii was amazing. She rushed around, got the hose and called the emergency services. I had not been around petrol or anything that day. "I sprayed deodorant from a can about 20 minutes beforehand and it caused this terrible freak accident."
Philip, who was with Lostwithiel Scouts before the accident, was airlifted to the burns unit at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.
He finally regained consciousness in the third week in intensive care. Doctors allowed Philip to leave hospital just four weeks after the accident as they thought being at home with his family would help his recovery.
Philip said he has been left covered in scars after the ordeal and would have lost his sight had he not been wearing glasses at the time.
He suffered severe burns to 30 per cent of his body and had to have skin grafts on his arms, neck and chest.
Tonii said she was inside the house in Bodmin, Cornwall, when Philip lit the barbecue on May 2. She said: "I just saw this ball of flames running towards me. I grabbed the hose pipe and spayed him down with one hand and I was calling the ambulance with the other."
"It was terrifying. He was in so much pain. He had just sprayed himself with anti-perspirant and when he lit the barbecue he just went up in flames as well."
Phil Hogder – 30% burns
