Man severely burned while lighting grill

MISSION - A Mission man has been moved to a U.S. Army burn unit in San Antonio after a barbecue mishap left him with third-degree burns on 40 percent of his body, police officials said Thursday.

Emergency responders initially rushed 21-year-old Mariano Garza to McAllen Medical Center about 8 p.m. Wednesday to stabilize his condition before moving him to Brooke Army Medical Center, which specializes in burn injuries.

Mission police Deputy Chief Da Vinci Lopez said the man was trying to light a barbecue pit at his home on the 2900 block of Abbott Avenue when he set himself on fire. He said the man lit a piece of paper over the charcoal in the pit and then poured gasoline on the paper.

"The fire was contained to the barbecue pit and then himself," Lopez said. "It's crazy but it's not uncommon."

The deputy chief said the fire traveled up the gasoline and into the can, and then the burning fuel splashed on the man.

"It was severe but survivable," Lopez said.

He advised that people never pour gasoline into an open container such as a barbecue pit.

"We teach people that gasoline (should be) poured into only one thing - internal combustion engines," Lopez said.