Jay Leno Says Car Engine Fire Felt Like His “Face Was on Fire”

Jay Leno is opening up about the November 12 car or truck hearth that left him with critical next-diploma burns. In an interview with Men and women, the previous Tonight Demonstrate host shared that he “got a face total of gasoline” though doing the job on the motor of a single of his classic cars and trucks, which led to the incident that resulted in his substantial stay at the Grossman Burn off Middle: “It felt exactly like my encounter was on fireplace.”

A typical-car or truck aficionado and the host of Jay Leno’s Garage, Leno informed Individuals that “when you perform with cars, you have a ton of accidents,” but admitted that the November 12 incident was “bigger than most.” Accompanied by his longtime mate Dave Killackey, Leno was in his Burbank garage making an attempt to unclog a gasoline line in the undercarriage of his 1907 White steam automobile. “With a steam motor vehicle, you have gasoline, but you also have a vaporizer, which is heated by a pilot mild to turn h2o into steam,” he instructed Men and women. Leno reportedly pushed air into the gasoline line to attempt to unclog it, landing him with “a face total of gasoline.” 

“I knew how near I was to the pilot mild and I imagined, Uh-oh,” Leno said. A spark from the motor put together with the gasoline, location Leno’s confront aflame. “It felt just like my confront was on hearth,” he said. “Maybe like the most extreme sunburn you have ever experienced, that’d be truthful to say.” Luckily for Leno, he was good more than enough to close his eyes and hold his breath, as he knew that he could seriously problems his lungs if he breathed in. “I was below the automobile maybe 10 seconds just before Dave pulled me out,” Leno reported. “Any longer than that, I could have missing my eye.”

The accident landed the comic in the Grossman Burn up Center for nine times, in which he underwent two pores and skin grafting surgeries. “When he came in, his burns have been further than I predicted,” said Leno’s surgeon, Dr. Peter Grossman. “Jay is unquestionably an outlier in phrases of how well he’s healed thinking about the severity of his injuries.” During it all, Leno stated, he refused to acquire any suffering treatment since “the pain is a reminder that I’m an idiot.”

Although he was at the Grossman Melt away Center, famous close friends despatched properly-wishes, such as John Travolta, Russell Crowe, and Tom Selleck. Considering that leaving the clinic, Leno has hit the phase, doing stand-up at the Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach front, California. He’s discovered some lessons, having said that. “I know how poor it could have been,” claimed Leno. “But I’m okay. And I’m positive I’ll keep on to do the similar silly things I’ve generally done—just probably a small little bit additional thoroughly!” You read it from Leno, young children: Be cautious when enjoying with fire.