Tonight a 65 year old resident of San Isidro village in the Toledo District is admitted to the Southern Regional Hospital with burns to his face and hand.  He should be home by tonight, but, the truth is, he is lucky to be alive after he survived an LPG explosion that completely destroyed his Ford van.  

Around 6:00 yesterday, Jose Tomas Rosales was filling up his taxi van with butane when the tank inside the van exploded. 

Police told us more:

Insp. Wilfredo Ferrufino - CIB
"The 10th of October, Bella Vista police were called to San Isidro Village in the Stann Creek District. They had received information of an explosion at the butane gas depot, Garcia's Butane Gas Depot. On arrival they spoke to persons out there and they gathered that Jose Tomas Rosales, 65 year old taxi driver was at the gas depot putting butane in his 2004 Ford 350 van and whilst doing that he lighted a cigarette and that caused the fumes to spark. The vehicle was extensively damaged by the fire and there were no major injuries. I think the taxi driver Mr. Rosales only received minor burns and facial hair was burnt. There was another person in the van at the time, a passenger in the van at the time but he escaped unhurt. Fire department personnel from Independence assisted in extinguishing the flames."

Daniel Ortiz
"Are you able to say what sort of damage the vehicle suffered if any?"

Insp. Wilfredo Ferrufino
"The vehicle was extensively damaged, completely destroyed by the fire."

Reporter
"Were any of the employees from the gas station..."

Insp. Wilfredo Ferrufino
"No, no, the only person that received any kind of injury was the taxi driver, the owner of the vehicle."