A man in southern Vietnam underwent 14 surgeries to save his life after a fire caused by him smoking near an open motorbike gas tank burnt over 80 percent of his body.

Doctor Ngo Duc Hiep, head of the Burns and Reconstructive Surgery Unit at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said on Monday that his hospital had saved the man from the most severe case of burns ever.

T., 21, was admitted to Cho Ray in late February with up to fourth-degree burns covering 82 percent of his body.

According to the victim’s family, T. was smoking near an open motorbike gas tank on the evening of February 24 when he caught fire.

T. was immediately taken to a local medical center for first aid, before being transferred to Cho Ray Hospital due to the severity of his burns.

Doctors at Cho Ray have since performed 14 surgeries to save the man’s life, which included four debridement surgeries, one amputation surgery, and nine skin grafting surgeries.

The cost for T.’s 102 days of hospitalization amounted to over VND215 million (US$9,600), of which VND60 million ($2,700) was covered by medical insurance and the rest is being raised from philanthropists.

According to the doctors, T.’s condition is now stable and he will be discharged from hospital as early as Tuesday.

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