HOW TO TREAT FLASH BURN INJURIES

THE flash burn injuries suffered by Parsons Green commuters yesterday are caused by momentary explosions of intense heat.

They can leave victims with agonising blisters, swollen lips and cheeks and their eyebrows and eyelashes burnt off.

The immediate advice is to run the burn under a cold tap or tepid running water for 20 minutes. But people like those caught up in yesterday’s terror attack could also use a bottle of water and a handkerchief to make a cold compress.

Flash burns can be third-degree burns, but tend to be less serious because the burst of heat disappears so rapidly.

Baljit Dheansa, lead clinician for burns at Queen Victoria Hospital in West Sussex, said: ‘The problem is if the flash ignites people’s clothing, which can lead to more intense and prolonged burns.’