Brian Taylor: Channel 7 broadcaster injured in Gippsland explosion

Channel 7 star Brian Taylor has been airlifted to a Melbourne hospital after an explosion in Gippsland.

Channel 7 broadcaster Brian Taylor has been airlifted to a Melbourne hospital after an explosion at a Gippsland property. Picture: Michael Klein.

Channel 7 broadcaster Brian Taylor has been airlifted to a Melbourne hospital after an explosion at a Gippsland property.

Emergency services were called to an address in Walhalla just after midday on Wednesday after reports of an incident.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said paramedics treated for a person for upper body injuries.

A Channel 7 spokesman confirmed Taylor was involved in the incident and airlifted to the Alfred Hospital. Taylor’s injuries were described as “minor.”

The popular footy caller was doing maintenance work at his farm, and while an “incident occurred’ while he worked on a hot water service.

The Erica and District Fire Brigade said the incident was caused by a minor explosion with a gas fridge.

Erica and District Fire Brigade said two Country Fire Authority crews were called to a Walhalla home after a minor explosion from a gas fridge left a man with serious injuries. Picture: Facebook

A Country Fire Authority spokesman said two crews were called to his Walhalla home at 12.07pm.

He said the explosion did not cause a fire, and the scene was brought under control at 12.23pm, when the man was handed into the care of Ambulance Victoria.

Taylor suffered “minor burns” to his face and was flown to the Alfred Hospital for routine monitoring and observation.

Walhalla’s Frank Ryan said Taylor was well-loved in the small town, 180km west of Melbourne.

“He keeps a low profile,” Mr Ryan said.

“He doesn’t big note himself or anything like that.

“You wouldn’t even recognise him in the street.”

The former Tigers and Magpies star is expected to make a full recovery and will return to TV duties at the weekend.

Channel 7 broadcaster Brian Taylor has been airlifted to a Melbourne hospital after an explosion at a Gippsland property. Picture: Alex Coppel.

He said he enjoyed keeping busy as a handyman.

“I love making things,” he told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“Originally, I was really good with metal — I’m a good welder, because that’s what my Dad taught me. Dad was very good with his hands.

“As a young kid I was racing motorbikes, and after every race meeting, he would say, “OK, I want you to strip the bike down, take the head and the cylinder off, polish the piston, polish the barrel”.

“I was educated a little bit mechanically. In more recent years I’ve progressed to making recycled hardwood tables. I’ve become better with the woodwork side of things as well. I’m about to head off down the shed now, and I’ll spend the rest of the day in the shed doing not much but getting great enjoyment out of it.”

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