SURREY - A 30-year-old Abbotsford man is recovering from minor injuries after he leapt 16 feet to the ground when the cherry picker bucket he was in burst into flames.

The man, whose name has not been released, was taken to Peace Arch Hospital Tuesday afternoon. An investigation is underway to determine if there were any training or equipment issues related to the incident, said WorkSafe BC spokeswoman Megan Johnston.

She said the man was working for RS Line Construction and had been contracted by BC Hydro to remove concrete power poles, which he was cutting at 171st Street and 3A Avenue in South Surrey. When his saw ran out of gas, Johnston said, he refilled it and that's when some gas spilled into the bucket and ignited.

which happened shortly after 2 p.m. at 171st Street and 4th Avenue.

Roughly 1,000 nearby households were without power for two hours as a result.

tzytaruk@thenownewspaper.com