Mechanic shop fire victim dies from injuries

A man who was critically injured in a Westphal mechanic shop fire has succumbed to his injuries and died, RCMP say.

At 10:25 a.m. Saturday, 58-year-old Peter Kempton of Dartmouth was pronounced dead in hospital, said RCMP Sgt. Brigdit Leger in a news release.

The incident happened shortly after 12 p.m. on Friday. RCMP were called to a vehicle on fire at a garage in the 800-block of Highway 7 in Westphal.

Paramedics rushed the man to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

"I could see flames starting, shooting up and immediately was quite concerned by the fact there were so many boats and cars," said John Versteege, who was driving by the scene.

"There were explosions, I think. If I recall, two or three of them and I kind of jumped. It sounded like shotgun blasts."

Another witness at the scene told CBC News the victim was removing a gas tank from a vehicle using a torch.

"I didn't even know what he was doing. I was inside on the Internet and all I see is a car on fire and he was right next to the car," said the witness.

"I ran out, I picked him up out of there, laid him on the ground over there, ripped his clothes off of him and it was a mess anyway."

The witness suffered burns to his hands.

The matter remains under investigation by the RCMP and the Nova Scotia Department of Labour.