Last month, Leno sustained severe burns to his hands and chest, as well as third-degree burns to his face, when one of his classic vehicles caught fire as he was working on it in his garage.
Jay Leno, an American comedian, has detailed the moment his face caught fire in a fire that burned around 7 percent of his body.
A month ago, one of the former Tonight Show host’s classic vehicles caught fire in his Los Angeles garage, causing severe burns to his hands and chest, as well as third-degree burns to his face.
In the incident, he had “deep second-degree” and maybe third-degree burns, but was released from the hospital on November 21.
In his first interview since incurring the injuries, the 72-year-old man told NBC’s Today show that he noticed the vehicle’s fuel line was clogged while working on his 1907 White Motor Co steam-powered automobile with a friend.
Leno recalled: “So I was below it, trying to unclog it, and I said, ‘blow some air through the pipe.'”
“Then suddenly, bam, I was sprayed in the face with gas, the pilot light jumped, and my face caught fire.”
He stated that his friend dragged him from the fire and “jumped” on top of him, smothering the flames.
Leno was transported by ambulance to a hospital before being transferred to the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles, where he received hyperbaric treatment – an oxygen technique that helps speed up burn wound healing.
Due to his injuries, he was hospitalized for about a week.
Skin grafts from ‘human cadaver skin’
Last month, Leno claimed in a statement, “I suffered severe burns from a gasoline fire.” “I am OK. I only need one or two weeks to regain my footing.”
Dr. Peter Grossman, director of the Grossman Burn Center, informed NBC Los Angeles that Leno had burns to “about 7 percent of his body” and was treated with temporary skin grafts from “human cadaver skin.”
Following his discharge from the hospital, Leno posed for photographs with hospital employees, exposing some of his burns.
Never considered myself a roast comic.
Despite the hardship, he returned to stand-up comedy and performed at a sold-out event in California just days after his release.
“I’ve never considered myself a roast comedian,” he quipped at the event. Tonight we have two shows, standard and extra crispy.
Leno, who also presents the reality television series Jay Leno’s Garage, is renowned for his passion for automobiles.
According to DuPont Registry, a marketplace, and newspaper for rare and historic auto enthusiasts, he has an estimated 180 cars and 160 motorcycles at his garage near Hollywood Burbank Airport.
