Home / Disasters and Accidents / Heater Fireball Injures Two Women at Pub
Heater Fireball Injures Two Women at Pub
28 Jan
Summary
- Two women sustained severe facial burns after a heater exploded.
- A friend allegedly squirted flammable liquid onto the heater.
- The incident occurred during a birthday celebration at a pub.
A birthday celebration at the Kings Head pub in Great Cornard, Suffolk, took a horrific turn when a heater exploded, causing severe burns to two women. The incident occurred on the evening of April 24, 2021, during the group's first night out after a COVID-19 lockdown.
Dale Carter, 30, is accused of squirting flammable liquid onto a tabletop heater, which then ignited into a fireball. April Charlesworth, 31, reportedly suffered agonizing injuries to her face, neck, and hands. Her cousin, Ashleigh Charlesworth, 32, a former children's nurse, sustained burns to her chest, face, and hands and required a ventilator due to airway swelling.
Witnesses described the heater's flame flaring intensely after fuel was added, with a second application causing the bottle to explode and engulf the table in flames. Carter denies two charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm. The incident has significantly impacted the victims' lives, with Ashleigh forced to change her career due to her injuries.
