The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
North pub blast man taken to burns unit
Incident: Inquiry launched after bar manager set alight by ignited fuel
The bar manager seriously injured in a blast at a Highland pub has been transferred to the specialist burns unit in Livingston.
Stuart Skinner, pictured below, suffered serious burns when a fire at the music venue exploded and sprayed him with ignited fuel.
“He has definitely helped make the bar the success it is,” said his boss, Kit Fraser, owner of Inverness’s Hootananny venue, who also revealed a sell- out gig scheduled for last night would go ahead.
A bar manager who was seriously injured when a fire exploded and sprayed him with ignited fuel has been transferred to a specialist hospital.
Stuart Skinner is understood to have suffered second- degree burns to his arms, one leg and his stomach in the incident at the Highland capital’s Hootananny venue.
Family members said yesterday he was “going to be OK” – but that he had a “long recovery ahead”.
Mr Skinner is believed to have been transferred from Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to the specialist burns unit at St John's Hospital in Livingston.
Staff at traditional music venue Hootananny were still in shock yesterday.
A gig by Glasgow-band Admiral Fallow was due to go ahead last night, with the bar having been closed on Monday evening.
Hootananny owner, Kit Fraser, said last night: “We have an artificial fire in the premises which has to be filled up with fuel.
“Stuart was doing that, adding the fuel to the tank in the fire. It appears he hit the button to ignite the fire and the vapour in the air caught fire and the blowback caused the plastic refuelling container to explode.
“The burning fuel was sprayed all over Stuart and his clothes, setting him alight. He did his best to extinguish the flames and the staff rushed to his aid.”
Mr Fraser paid tribute to his long-term colleague. “He has been with me for 10 years and is an excellent manager,” he said.
“We are all shell-shocked by this and can’t bear to think of the pain he must be going through now.
“We have a sold-out concert tonight and I think it is what Stuart would have wanted that we reopen right away after the cleanup operation has been done.”
Mr Skinner’s social media pages were flooded with messages of support.
One family member said: “Stuart has asked me to post that he is in hospital and he is going to be OK but has a long recovery ahead. Thanks for all your wishes. I’m sure he will update you in the next couple of days himself.”
Firefighters were called to the Church Street venue at 5.18pm on Monday. By the time crews arrived the blaze had been put out by staff using fire extinguishers.
The ground floor was extensively smoke-damaged.
A spokesman for the fire brigade said last night an investigation into the cause was ongoing.