Sonoma man burned in gunpowder blast

A Sonoma man suffered serious burns Thursday afternoon when gunpowder from the shotgun shells he was reloading exploded in his face, officials said.

The man, whose name has not been released, was loading shells in a work room of his home on the 600 block of Sixth Street East when the powder apparently came into contact with a portable heater on his workbench, said John Franceschi, Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue battalion chief.

“It was just one of those freak things,” Franceschi said. “He was just sitting there enjoying himself on a cold day when it all went wrong.”

The man suffered burns on his face, neck and arms, and he was transported by helicopter to the burn unit at UC Davis.

The fire was brief but caused significant damage to the structure. The man’s condition was not immediately available.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.