Common item kept in car explodes leaving local woman severely burned

SEATTLE -- Ashes are all that's left of Matison Long's car after a freak accident left her severely burned.

"It was really just like a pop," said Matison. "Like a helium balloon popping and that was it. It was silent for maybe 30 seconds."

Matison was having lunch inside her car with a friend back on April 11th in Olympia. She says she pushed her seat back to give herself more leg room, not realizing a can of deicer was on the floor behind her seat.

“It punctured the can and they said the wiring underneath the car, the electric seating, it was all perfect timing for that to go off. So it punctured it and set it on fire,” says Long.

“I guess I really can't compare it to anything that I know of because it was so bizarre,” says Matison’s grandmother, Meta.

“She's having nightmares and I think she's kind of afraid to even get into a car again, the whole fire thing. But I think she`ll make a recovery. She’s just afraid, scared, hurt,” said Meta.

“I saw the fire on my arms. As soon as it happened I got out the door outside and I did stop, drop and roll. I rolled on the ground maybe for 30 seconds and then I got up and there was just skin hanging. I looked down and saw skin melting away. It was the scariest thing I have ever seen,” said Matison.

Matison was flown to Harborview Medical Center where she's remained for the last 10 days. She's hoping others will learn from her experience, as bizarre as it was.

“It was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me. I would be more careful of what’s on the floor of your car because anything could happen... anything.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with medical bills.