Tractor Fire Injures West Bloomfield Man

A 44-year-old West Bloomfield man was burned when the garden tractor he was using caught fire after he cleaned it with gasoline, the  reports.

The homeowner at 5975 Rea Ct. was burned on his hands, torso and legs, but Fire Chief Jay Wiseman said it could have been hurt much worse. Family members heard the screams of the man, running from upstairs in the home to help extinguish the the blaze, according to a press release issued Tuesday by the fire department.

Fire crews and emergency medical services from two fire stations arrived within minutes of the call for help to find the man sitting on his front porch. Fire department EMS crews transported the man to Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills for treatment.

"This man is very lucky, his injuries could have been much worse if not for the quick response of family members to help extinguish the fire," Wiseman said in the release. "The quick call to 911, the fast reaction of family members and the rapid response time of on duty fire crews undoubtedly prevented further injury and limited the damage to the tractor."