‘I lit up’: Hospitals get more petrol-burnt men on long weekends

Hospitals have concrete data to show long weekends translate into more horrific injuries, particularly for young men.

A tradie is warning other people to not put themselves in the same dangerous situation that ultimately scarred his body.

Staff at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital have recorded a spike in petrol burns on long weekends, typically involving men in their 20s and 30s, where alcohol and drugs are involved.

Victorian tradie Ryan Birse was in a coma and 17 per cent of his body was severely burned after pouring petrol onto a backyard fire at his house.

“Unfortunately, it all flashed back at me and I lit up,” he told Channel 9.

Ryan Birse was badly burnt. Picture: 9News

“It’s something that you never think that’s going to happen to you.”

Mr Birse said he made a huge mistake pouring petrol on the backyard fire while drinking with friends.

“It’s just not worth it, it’s not worth the risk. It’s totally unnecessary,” he said.

Dr Stephen Goldie says men aged in their 20s and 30s get petrol burns more often than others. Picture: 9News

Alfred Hospital research has found the combination of a long weekend, men in their 20s and 30s, drugs and alcohol, and fire, lead to more hospitalisations.

Alfred doctor Stephen Goldie said the recurring theme stood out.

“We noticed a pattern in our clinical practice, when the public holiday weekends came around, we had a spike in the number of petrol burns coming in,” Dr Goldie said.

More people show up at the Alfred Hospital with burns on long weekends. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

People are 20 per cent more likely to be burned by petrol on a public holiday, the research found.

Males aged in their 20s and 30s make up the majority of cases.

“Over 50 per cent of these injuries, the patients have been using drugs or alcohol and were at least partially intoxicated at the time of their injury,” Dr Goldie said.

All states and territories except Queensland and Western Australia have a public holiday on Monday, June 10.