Hawaii man says 'incredibly powerful and hot' lava almost cut his leg in half



PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — A Hawaii man hit by a flying piece of lava says the molten rock nearly cut his left leg in half.

Darryl Clinton told the Honolulu television station KHON that he was on the roof of a home helping to put out fires from flying rocks on Saturday morning.

That's when an explosion a couple hundred yards away launched a "lava bomb" his way. It hit him above the ankle.

Clinton says it was the "most forceful impact" he had ever experienced.

He says it was "incredibly powerful and hot."

"It was super painful and I don't know if I was in shock," Clinton told KHON. "I just think about my daughters, and I knew I was up on that roof and I was in really bad shape. My leg was in half, my bone was sticking out. There was blood squirting out."

He says he was in shock. A friend wrapped a sheet around his leg and called for help.

Doctors saved his leg, but he must avoid putting weight on it for six weeks.