Work-safety inspectors are investigating how a man was burnt during a boiler blast at the Broadwater sugar mill south of Ballina yesterday.
The man, aged in his 40s, suffered burns to his face, neck and arms and was flown by the Westpac rescue helicopter to the Royal Brisbane Hospital in a stable condition.
NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative chief executive Chris Connors told the ABC the incident was not an explosion and the problem occurred when the boiler fuel ignited in what’s known as a ‘flash-back’.
Workcover said in a statement it appeared the worker was trying to re-ignite a boiler when the diesel ignited, blowing flames back on him.
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