EASTON FIREFIGHTER BURNED TRYING TO IGNITE CONTRABAND

Acting captain says he 'got too close with the flare;' injuries are minor.

An Easton firefighter was burned on his face and hands while trying
to ignite a pile of drugs and contraband police wanted destroyed that
had been doused with gasoline, officials said Friday.

The decision to use gasoline was criticized by the top fire official
in Pennsylvania.

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Order Reprints The injured firefighter, Acting Captain Robert
Dantinne, said his injuries are minor, though he did go to the burn
center at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, he said, "to be careful."

"Everything is fine," Dantinne said. He blamed himself for what happened.

"I just made a stupid mistake," he said. "It was an accident. I got
too close with the flare."

Early Thursday afternoon, Dantinne, Chief John Bast and another
firefighter went to Hackett Park, where they met city police, who
wanted evidence from old cases destroyed because it was no longer needed.

Drugs, old uniforms and assorted contraband accumulated over the
years were brought to the park to be burned, said Easton Police Capt.
Michael Vangello.

The contraband was piled about two feet high, said Bast, the city's
new fire chief.

"We used a flare," Bast said. "A little bit of gasoline was used."

Bast said the fire did not flare "while we were pouring gasoline on."

One expert said Friday gasoline should never be used to start a fire.

"Gasoline is a flammable liquid and you should never use a flammable
liquid as an accelerant to start a fire," said Edward A. Mann, the
Pennsylvania state fire commissioner. Using a flammable liquid, he
said, is something that should only be "used as a last resort." He
said using a flare or balled-up paper would be preferable.

Dantinne said the pile was not on fire when he approached with a flare.

"It was not burning at the time," he said. "I was lighting it to burn
[the pile] and it just flared up.

"It went up instantaneously," he said. "I know better. I was off-guard."

Bast said Dantinne was taken to Easton Hospital and as a precaution
went to see a burn specialist at LVH.

"He's fine," Bast said. "He was released."

Vangello said the contraband police wanted destroyed consisted of
everything from marijuana to heroin and cocaine, as well as papers
and old uniforms. He said old uniforms were burned to eliminate the
possibility of someone impersonating a police officer.