Thurston County man seriously burned after heating device explodes
A Rainier man, thought to be in his late 30s, was seriously burned Saturday evening after a smudge pot exploded, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
About 6:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office and SE Thurston Fire Authority were dispatched to the 400 block of Volesky Drive East after the report of an explosion.
A smudge pot typically is used for outdoor heating purposes, Lt. Mike Brooks said Sunday. Somehow the device exploded and burned the man over 80 percent of his body, he said.
The man was ultimately taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Brooks said. There was no update on the man’s condition on Sunday, he said.
Rolf Boone
The Olympian