Girrakool Picnic Area: Two Terrigal Trotters injured in barbecue explosion
New details have emerged about what sparked an explosion which left a man and a woman with severe flash burns during the Great North Walk running event.
Central Coast
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Leaking butane from a portable cooker is believed to have sparked an explosion which left two people badly burned at the weekend.
Graham Davis, 67, suffered flash burns to his legs and hands while Jo Ridley, 56, suffered burns to her face and ears when a barbecue exploded during the annual Great North Walk running event.
Emergency services were called to the Girrakool Picnic Area at Somersby at 4.30pm following reports of an explosion.
A Fire & Rescue NSW spokesman said it appeared a portable butane cooker was placed on fixed barbecue in the picnic area, with gas leaking from the cooker into the barbecue.
He said an ignition source inside the barbecue has triggered the explosion, which blew the door of the barbecue open.
It is not clear if the two injured Terrigal Trotters members were using the portable cooker at the time or were simply nearby when the barbecue exploded.
Terrigal Trotters president Detta Unsworth said she was at Patonga when the explosion occurred.
She said Ms Ridley had since been discharged from hospital and Mr Davis was recovering well.
Mr Davis was initially taken Gosford Hospital but has since been transferred to Royal North Shore Hospital where he remains in a stable condition.
About 170 runners were registered to take part in the Great North Walk event at the weekend which features four races over 50km, 50 miles, 100km and 100 miles.