MIRACLE ESCAPE: Mum’s Christmas Eve BBQ Horror as Gas Explosion Sends Flames Shooting into Her Face – Now She’s Issuing a Desperate Warning to Others
- Rachel Dear, 41, suffered horrific burns when her BBQ exploded in her face on Christmas Eve
- The mum-of-two was preparing dinner outside her caravan in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane, when the disaster struck
- She’s now urging others to check for gas leaks before using their barbecues, revealing a simple trick to stay safe
- Emergency services have echoed her warning, reminding people to service and maintain their BBQs correctly
Rachel Dear is counting her blessings after a Christmas Eve barbecue turned into a nightmare when it exploded in her face, sending flames shooting everywhere.
“I lit it and the whole thing just exploded in my face. It went ‘bang,'” she recounted, still shaken by the ordeal. “It was so scary and it happened in seconds. I felt like I was still on fire for hours afterwards, it was so painful.”
Despite her terrifying experience, Rachel managed to turn off the gas, smother the flames, and warn her children to get out of the caravan before sprinting to the nearby beach shower to douse the flames.
“I’m very fortunate. I could have died,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “I had a car and caravan nearby and if I do use the barbecue again, I’ll keep it further away from everything.”
Rachel is now warning others to be careful when using gas barbecues, revealing a simple trick to stay safe. “Before you ever light a barbecue, get a bottle and put a mix of water with dishwashing liquid in it and spray it over the connections, if it bubbles there is an issue,” she advised.
“You’ve just got to check any bit of gas leaking. Just stay safe with gas. I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through.”
Emergency services have echoed Rachel’s warning, reminding people to service and maintain their BBQs correctly. “Scheduling pressure testing of any gas cylinders and checking the condition of all hoses and connections is crucial,” a Queensland Fire Department spokesperson said.
“Always place a barbecue on a firm, level base sheltered from wind gusts and well away from anything flammable, like garden sheds, vegetation and fences. Only use a barbecue in a well-ventilated area as fumes and gases emitted may be harmful.”
Rachel is also trying to find and thank the good Samaritans who helped her and her two children before emergency services arrived. “There were so many people that came to help,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude.
“People got me clothes, helped my kids, a nurse comforted my daughter who was crying as well, and a woman stayed with me in the shower until the ambulance got there. I’m just so thankful for their kindness.”