Ore. Man Suffers Chemical Burns

Dec. 17--A 59-year-old man suffered severe chemical burns on more than two-thirds of his body on Friday when he tried to clean grease stains from his coat.

The man, whose name was not available, came home in the afternoon to his Northeast Portland house. He returned from a week-long, out-of-town job working on a crane, according to Paul Corah, spokesman for Portland Fire & Rescue. The man reportedly told his wife he would try to clean grease stains from his coat.

When his wife came home after 6 p.m., she reportedly smelled an overwhelming odor similar to paint thinner. She found her husband in a bathtub, with his clothes drenched in a solvent-based chemical. She called 9-1-1.

Paramedics carried the semi-conscious man to the front yard to start first aid. A fire crew also arrived and put the man in a hazmat suit. The man had severe chemical burns on more than 70 percent of his body, Corah said. An ambulance took the man to the Oregon Burn Center.

Firefighters investigated the bathroom, which was small and not ventilated. They found a three-gallon bucket with about two cups of solvent left. For the next half-hour, crews used gas fans to clear fumes from the house. Firefighters are working to identify the chemical that the man used.

Chemical burns are extremely dangerous and, in some cases, deadly, Corah said. People should wear protective gear in well-ventilated areas when they use hazardous chemicals, he said.

Copyright 2011 - The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.