Tennessee car accidents: Man on fire from gas pump explosion

A gas station is one of the last places a person would think they would encounter any type of car accident. Of course, car accidents can occur almost anywhere. A Tennessee man was recently involved in a pedestrian car crash at a gas station that occurred on the Fourth of July.

Authorities say the man walked across the parking lot of a local gas station in Montgomery County. It is not exactly clear where the man was headed. On his way, a motorist slammed into the gas pump right next to where the man was walking. The pump exploded upon impact, and the man became engulfed in flames.

The injured man resorted to the stop, drop and roll in an attempt to extinguish the blaze. He rolled on the ground to limit the damage, while someone tried to douse the flames with a fire extinguisher. He was taken to the hospital and is listed in serious, but non-life threatening condition. The driver did not sustain any serious injuries and he may have lost consciousness just before the accident.

The driver could face criminal charges as well as a civil lawsuit. Car accidents that involve serious burn injuries can have life-altering consequences for the victim. In addition to pain and suffering, the victim may sustain financial loss due to missed time from work and rapidly escalating medical costs related to their injuries. Tennessee civil courts commonly preside over these types of claims. To prevail, litigants are required to prove the injuries suffered were caused by the negligence of another party.

Source: New York Daily News, “VIDEO: Tennessee man suffers burns over 40% of his body in fiery July 4 gas station accident,” David Boroff, July 10, 2013