Petrol-related burn injuries presenting to the Victorian Adult Burns Service

Abstract

**Introduction**: Burns fuelled by petrol are a major cause of injury in Australia and New Zealand. The same quality of explosive ignition that makes petrol so valuable as a fuel can cause injuries when petrol is handled carelessly or used for a purpose for which it is not intended. **Method**: This retrospective cohort study examined the epidemiology of patients admitted to the Victorian Adult Burns Service (VABS) based at The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne. Data were extracted from the VABS database on patients presenting over a seven-year period, between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2016. Approved by The Alfred Hospital health human research ethics committee [2017-9850-11501]. **Results**: During the study period, 378 out of 1927 burns admissions (19.6%) were related to petrol use. Males aged 20–29 years were most at risk, contributing to 25.4 per cent of petrol-related burn injuries. A large portion of burns (31.0%) occurred during a leisure activity. The mean total body surface area (TBSA) burnt in this cohort was 19.3 per cent, and surgery was required in 70.4 per cent of cases. Petrol-related burn injuries are estimated to cost AU$5,484,834 annually and have a mortality rate of 7.4 per cent. **Conclusion**: Misuse of petrol contributes to a substantial injury burden for Victoria. Approximately 20 per cent of admissions to The Alfred burns unit are petrol related, 70 per cent need surgery and nearly 7.5 per cent of these patients die. Raising community awareness through preventive strategies targeted at high-risk groups and highlighting risky behaviours is warranted to reduce the incidence of petrol-related burn injuries.