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Man Suffers 3rd Degree Burns After Landscape Trailer Ignites In Salem

SALEM (CBS) -- A Lynn man received third-degree burns to his face and hands after a gas container overturned, igniting his landscape trailer.

Landscape Truck Fire
Fire in a landscape truck on Arbella St., in Salem. (Credit: Jerome Curley)

Salem Fire Department responded to the fire on Arbella Street Monday morning after neighbors reported hearing a loud explosion and then saw flames.

Deputy Fire Chief Brian Harrington said a gas container in the enclosed landscape trailer tipped over between stops.

When the landscapers arrived at their job, they started one of their lawn mowers and a spark ignited the vapors.

35-year-old Omar Perez of Carpenter Landscaping out of North Andover, was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and is expected to survive, Harrington said.

Perez's brother was working with him at the time but was not injured.

The trailer is said to have $25,000 worth of damage.

Landscape Truck Fire
The remains of a landscape trailer after a fire. (Credit: Jerome Curley)

The fire damaged electrical wires running over the street.

Utility crews were on scene into Monday afternoon, repairing the damage.

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