A MAN sustained serious burns to his face when a petrol can exploded as he filled up his Rolls Royce on a motorway hard shoulder at Ramsbottom.
Fire crews fought the car blaze and tended to the injured man until paramedics arrived.
He is currently detained in a high dependency unit at Fairfield Hospital and is scheduled to be transferred to the burns unit at Manchester's Wythenshawe Hospital.
The freak accident occurred on the southbound carriageway of the M66 at Ramsbottom at 9.30pm on Wednesday (Oct 2).
Fire officers said the man, who lives in Rochdale, had parked his Rolls Royce on the grass verge to fill up the vehicle with petrol. He told firefighters at the scene that after using one can, he went into the car for the second container when it suddenly exploded.
The injured man was given first aid at the scene by Bury-based leading fireman Peter Crolla. Firefighters extinguished the blaze which badly damaged the vehicle. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
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