Citation

Peters W. Burns 1991; 17(1): 50-51.

Affiliation

Ross Tilley Burn Centre, Wellesley Hospital, Toronto, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2031675

Abstract

Three patients are presented with significant flame burns, resulting from accidents occurring during 'special effects' situations in the entertainment industry. These occurred as a result of the spontaneous combustion of various materials, during events in live theatre (gun powder), a television commercial (artificial 'rocket fuel'), and a video presentation (magnesium oxide). All three patients sustained flash burns to the face and hands. One patient sustained a significant bilateral corneal injury, a gamekeeper's thumb, and a permanent continuous right-sided high frequency tinnitus, in addition to his burn injury. Photographic documentation of all three patients is presented. The total loss of time from work for all patients was 6 months. All these injuries were potentially preventable.