One person was injured in a flash fire while installing a gas water heater Friday at an area convalescent care facility, according to a Santa Paula Fire Department spokesman.
Firefighters were notified about 1:20 p.m. August 28 of a “structure fire” at the Vista Cove Convalescent Care, located in the 200 block of March Street, north of West Main Street and west of Dean Drive.
According to SPFD Public Information Officer Andy VanSciver, firefighters with SPFD Engine 81 and Engine 82 were dispatched to the report.
When they arrived on scene they found a contractor had been at the facility in the boiler room to replace a gas water heater, and “When a gas leak and flash fire occurred,” a male employee of the contractor was injured.
VanSciver said the “fire had been extinguished before firefighters arrived...”
Santa Paula Fire EMTs and an ambulance crew treated the injured man at the scene before he was transported with burn injuries to Ventura County Medical Center.
The condition of the injured man — and whether he was transferred to a burn center — was not available.
There was no need for evacuations of staff or patients during the incident: “All the patients at the facility were sheltered in place while the gas leak was secured,” said VanSciver.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
Ventura County Fire also responded to the incident.
No one else was injured.
