A Maine man has been hospitalized after he was seriously burned this morning as he attempted to start a brush pile fire on his property in Winthrop.

The State Fire Marshal's Office reported that this morning, around 9:30 a.m., State Rep. Craig Hickman was using gasoline to start a fire on his 25-acre farm on Annabessacook Road when gas vapors caught his clothing on fire.
Firefighters say that Rep. Hickman poured a small amount of gas on the brush pile and then lit a cardboard egg carton and put it on the brush pile. At that time, the vapors from the gasoline exploded and the flames extended to Hickman.
Maine Forest Rangers assisted in dousing the fire.  
The report went on to say that Hickman's legs and chest received burns and he was taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, by ambulance, and later flown by the Lifelight helicopter to Maine Medical in Portland.
After the injury, a friend of Hickman attempted to drive him to the Augusta hospital but they stopped at the new Winthrop Fire Station and called for help. 
Winthrop Police and Winthrop EMS responded as the fire station is not manned full time.
Rep. Hickman operates Annabessacook Farm Bed & Breakfast.
 

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