HAB Objective Interim Thermobaric Grenade, Curling Iron

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Who the hell thought it was a great idea to invent GAS-POWERED Curling Irons?

Teenagers fighting for lives after hair tongs explode in their bedroom
By LUKE SALKELD - More by this author » Last updated at 23:03pm on 18th December 2007

Comments Comments (42)
Four teenage girls suffered serious burns when their hair-styling tongs exploded in a bedroom.

The gas-powered device blew a massive hole through the roof of the house and started a fire which spread to neighbouring properties.

The school friends, who are all in a critical condition, had been dressing for a Christmas party when the explosion occurred.

Anya Evans, 15, her sister Kira, 14, and their friends Nadine Fardon, 14, and Kimberly Patterson, 15, ran screaming into the street with their clothes on fire.

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victims styling tongs explosion

Anya Evans, 15, (left) and her sister Kira, 14, are fighting for their lives in hospital
victims styling tongs explosion

Kimberly Patterson, 15, (left) and Nadine Fardon, 14, were badly burnt in the explosion

Neighbours came to their aid and the four were taken to hospital. They suffered up to 40 per cent burns and will need skin grafts, doctors said.

Twenty-five firemen were sent to tackle the blaze in Llanelli, South Wales, on Monday.

The girls' parents were too upset to talk. But they released a joint statement thanking the emergency services and the hospital, and the residents who helped their daughters.

They added: "We are totally devastated by what has happened and are praying for the girls' recovery."

The Evans sisters had invited their two friends to their home to dress. It is not known which brand of tongs they were using.

There are several popular models which are powered by refillable gas canisters.

These provide a portable source of heat for curling or straightening hair.

Police and fire crews are sifting through the gutted bedroom for clues to why this particular gadget blew up, but it will be several days before they can interview any of the girls.

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exploding styling tongs

The explosion blew a hole in the roof of the house and left the four teenagers with severe burns

The explosion could be heard for miles around, and neighbours on either side were forced to evacuate as the flames spread onto their roofs.

Nicola Paskin, 34, said: "The girls were seen fighting their way through smoke and flames to get out of the burning house.

"They looked very distressed and their clothes were blackened.

"The trouser legs of two of them were burned right off and one of the others had cuts to the face."

Tongs

Fashion trend: Gas-powered tongs are hugely popular

The girls were being treated in the specialist intensive burns unit of Swansea's Morriston Hospital after suffering between 29 per cent and 41 per cent burns.

Hamish Laing, consultant plastic surgeon at the unit, said: "They suffered burns to their faces and have already undergone surgery.

"It was a flash flame injury in a confined space. But we won't know exactly what happened until the girls wake up and tell us.

"Their condition is critical and they are on breathing machines.

"But we are optimistic about their condition - their injuries are hopefully not life-threatening and we believe they will get better."

He added: "All four girls will need skin grafts and at least one will need plastic surgery.

"All four are critically ill and we expect that to be the case for several days."

The girls were pupils at Coedcae Comprehensive in Llanelli, South Wales.

Headmaster Harvey Jones said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the injuries suffered by the girls.

"They are very lively characters with a large circle of friends within the school.

"We are in a state of shock at the fire and have held a special assembly to share our feelings."

Town councillor John Jenkins said: "Looking at the state of the building it is amazing that anyone got out alive. It's a Christmas miracle that the girls survived."

Holy Improvised Fuel-Air-Explosive Grenades, Batman!! I hope those girls recover okay.

[Chris OFarrell]

Jesus Christ, who invented THIS thing indeed?

Thats just...well...

"The word 'insane' is thrown around an awful lot these days..."

[El Moose Monstero]

Gas powered curling tongs are not thought to be the source of the fire according to the Fire Chief in charge,

Fire teenagers 'lucky to survive'
Kira and Anya Evans, Nadine Fardon and Kimberly Patterson (from top left, clockwise)
From top left, clockwise: Kira, Anya, Nadine and Kimberly
Four teenage girls badly injured in an explosion and fire at a house are lucky to be alive, say investigators.

Anya Evans, 15, her sister Kira, 14, and friends Kimberly Patterson, 15, and Nadine Fardon, 14, are on life support machines in hospital.

Fire chiefs have dismissed rumours gas hair straighteners or curling tongs caused the explosion and blaze.

The girls were injured on Monday afternoon in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

Investigators said no remains of straighteners or tongs had been found in the terraced house, where the upper floor and roof was destroyed after a "significant gas explosion".

But they are examining a large number of pressurised aerosol canisters from the bedroom the girls had been in. Doctors said at least one of the teenagers, and probably more, would remain in Morriston Hospital, Swansea for some time and would need extensive surgery.

All four are on life support machines, with burns ranging from 41% to 29%.


Gethin Davies
We would like to ask that members of the public do not speculate about the cause of the fire, because it only adds to the grief of the family
Gethin Davies, fire officer

Fire officers revealed the full extent of the damage to the sisters' house in Old Castle Road.

They said there was a "significant gas explosion" in the rear first-floor bedroom.

"The explosion was strong enough to severely damage the internal bedroom walls and ceiling, blow out the glass from the double-glazed bedroom window and also blow out the double-glazed window in the downstairs kitchen," a statement said.

"The ensuing fire destroyed the bedrooms, landing area and the roof of this property plus the roofs of the two adjoining properties.

"Though suffering from severe burns, the four girls were lucky to survive this incident.

"During a fingertip search of the bedroom investigators found and removed a large number of pressurised aerosol canisters for possible further evaluation.

The fire in Llanelli
Flames and smoke pour from the roof at the height of the blaze
"Pressurised aerosol containers contain a small quantity of highly inflammable butane gas which acts as an expellant for the contents.

"Due to fire damage the exact contents of all of the canisters cannot be confirmed at this time.

"Despite some press reports of the explosion and fire being started by gas-fuelled hair straighteners this has not been endorsed by investigators."

"No remains of hair straighteners or curling tongs were found during the search of the bedroom."

County commander Gethin Davies said a senior fire investigator and forensic scientist were "laboriously going through the first-floor area with a fingertip search and at the moment we have not come to any conclusions".

He added while a number of unexploded gas canisters had been recovered, one canister alone "could not have caused this damage to the property which people are speculating about."

Dyfed-Powys Police have said the fire does not appear to be suspicious.

[Sea Skimmer]

So they probably used enough hairspray in a totally confined area that they got a fuel air bomb; that has happened before. Ventilation is a good thing, and also helps keep the chemicals from slowly killing your brain.

[Admiral Valdemar]

So they probably used enough hairspray in a totally confined area that they got a fuel air bomb; that has happened before. Ventilation is a good thing, and also helps keep the chemicals from slowly killing your brain.

Though it would seem too late to reverse any horrible side effects from that particular issue.

[The Yosemite Bear]

my own thoughts, looking at the begining of the story, I thought "Had too be too much alcohol propelled hair spray, we had a fire get started in the Cheerleader's locker room when I was in high school...