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Flaming vehicle driven into ocean, burnt teen airlifted to hospital
By Toby Crockford
A teenager has suffered serious burns after a gas bottle exploded on the back of his car in Noosa.
Quick-thinking driver Reece Parker deliberately drove the flaming vehicle into the ocean to extinguish the fire and he was later flown to Brisbane for further treatment.
Reece Parker speaks to reporters after being released from hospital. Credit: Seven News Brisbane
Emergency services were called to Teewah Beach at Noosa North Shore about 8pm on Friday.
According to RACQ LifeFlight Rescue, the young man was driving on the beach when he stopped to investigate a hissing sound.
When he got to the back of the car, the gas bottle exploded.
"I was just engulfed in a flame," he told Seven News.
The young victim was carried on a stretcher to the waiting helicopter and flown to Brisbane for further treatment.Credit: RACQ LifeFlight Rescue
Despite suffering burns in the initial explosion, the teenager drove his car into the ocean to extinguish the fire and he then lay in the water to relieve the pain from his burns.
"[I] Pretty much just lay like a starfish in the surf because I was that burnt," he said.
"I started blistering up everywhere immediately."
Mr Parker suffered burns across his body and airways.
Teewah Beach, north of Noosa, where a teen was seriously injured on Friday.
Specialist trauma paramedics treated the young man on the beach and emergency services used their car lights to guide the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter to the scene.
He was flown in a serious but stable condition to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where Seven News reported he was treated for second- and third-degree burns to 80 per cent of his body.
"I'm lucky to be alive," he told the broadcaster.