KATIE CHAPMAN
The Evening Standard (Palmerston North, New Zealand)

Ashhurst volunteer firefighter with 28 years experience is in Hutt Hospital after a training exercise went wrong.

John Bragg, deputy chief fire officer for Ashhurst, was setting up a training exercise on Monday night, when the diesel mix he was using "flashed back", badly burning his lower legs, Ashhurst chief fire officer Neil Alexander said.

A paramedic at the drill attended to him, and he was taken to Palmerston North Hospital before being flown to Lower Hutt that night.

Mr Bragg underwent surgery on Tuesday night, receiving skin grafts, and was in a stable condition in the hospital's plastics ward today.

He was wearing all safety gear when the incident occurred, and everyone was shocked by the incident, Mr Alexander said.

Mr Bragg was staying cheerful, but was also stunned, he said.

"He's in as much shock as the rest of us."

An investigation was being carried out, he said. "Hopefully we'll get some good out of it."

Last night, Mr Bragg's son Steve Bragg, who owns Roma restaurant and Uno wine bar, was just leaving his father's bedside when the Manawatu Standard called.

His Dad was staying upbeat, Mr Bragg said.

"He's in good spirits, he's doing well and he's looking forward to the positives."

The family would wait and see what the investigation would bring.

It was unknown when Mr Bragg would be discharged from hospital, but thought he would be kept there until at least Monday or Tuesday next week.

Manawatu assistant area fire commander Rodger Calder said the outcome of the investigation should be known in about 10 days.

Firefighters operated under a strict "safe person" protocol, in an effort to keep incidents like this to a minimum.

But accidents were part of the job, he said.

"The nature of the industry we're in, there was always potential for accidents . . . Sometimes it doesn't go according to plan."

Copyright 2009 The Manawatu Standard
All Rights Reserved
June 11, 2009