Man, 19, burned in SA workshop fire

A fire at a motorcycle workshop in Adelaide's northern suburbs has left a 19-year-old man in hospital with significant burns.

A 19-year-old man is in hospital with significant burns to his lower limbs after a fire erupted at a motorcycle workshop in Adelaide's north.

Nathan Parks from the Ambulance Service says the teenager was fortunate to escape from the Pooraka workshop.

"He is absolutely lucky," Mr Parks told ABC radio. "When you arrive and see the flames pouring out of the workshop and he was inside and managed to escape ... absolutely, he's lucky to be alive."

Firefighters were called to the workshop on Wednesday morning and took about an hour to put out the blaze, while also saving a nearby electrical services shop and a crash repair shop that housed paints, solvent and spray booths.

The teenager was treated at the scene before being rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital.

A Metropolitan Emergency Services spokesman said investigators were inspecting the scene, and the damage bill was estimated to exceed $400,000.

An MES spokeswoman later said investigators believe there was an electrical failure near a solvent pressure-cleaning bath that ignited vapours.

The teenage worker, who was cleaning motorcycle parts at the time, tried to extinguish the fire but the bath tipped over, causing the blaze to quickly spread through the room.

He managed to escape and was aided by co-workers.


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