Naperville man burned in explosion

An unidentified Naperville man suffered severe burns after accidentally touching off an explosion in his garage Wednesday morning.

Naperville fire fighters arrived on the scene of 2408 Rio Grande Circle at about 11:20 a.m. and found neighbors had already extinguished the flames at the single-family home. However, a 58-year-old man was in need of medical attention.

"There was a flash fire and explosion caused by a gas can touching a battery," police Cmdr. David Hoffman said. "He was severely burned."

The gas was placed on top of an automobile battery, causing sparks and the resulting explosion.

The man received on-scene car but radioed for helicopter transport to Loyola Medical Center's burn unit for further care. The helicopter landed at River Woods Elementary School, causing school officials to lockdown the campus at the fire department's request. School activities resumed once the helicopter flew away.

Fire officials estimated the property damage to be about $700. Loyola staff refused to provide information about the victim's condition Wednesday night.