A vehicle fire broke out in the area of 52 Rocky Grove Ave. in Sugarcreek Borough, in front of Village Auto, at about 4:05 p.m. Monday., and the driver suffered burns.
Sugarcreek Borough police chief Bob Wenner said gas was “sloshing out of the tank” of a two-stroke gasoline-engine bicycle due to its having no gas cap, and since the driver had to shut off the bike by removing the spark plug, it caused a spark and ignited the gas that had splashed on the bike and the driver.
The driver suffered suspected second-degree burns, but Wenner said he was able to jump into a creek, which helped.
After being transported to the Rocky Grove fire hall by Community Ambulance Service, the driver was taken to Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh by STAT MedEvac, Wenner said.
Reno and Rocky Grove volunteer firefighters responded as well, and Wenner added that “good samaritans” from the community also aided at the scene, one of whom obtained a fire extinguisher from a local business and began putting out the fire before police arrived.
The scene cleared at about 4:40 p.m., Wenner said.
