15 Jan 2009

Warning issued over barbecue burns

12:18 pm on 15 January 2009

A plastic surgeon at the national burns centre says people need to be more careful when barbecuing.

Middlemore Hospital plastic surgeon Dr Amber Moazzam says many patients were burned after petrol was thrown on their barbecue.

More people are being treated for serious burns this summer: 11 patients were treated with barbecue accelerated burns between 1 December - 13 January. The patients were mainly men.

Last year only two cases were recorded over the same period.

If people are burned, Dr Moazzam says they should spend at least 15 minutes cooling the burn in cold water before seeking medical treatment.