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The Milmay Volunteer Fire Company said it happened while Michael Black was battling a fire at his career firefighting job at the Phillips 66 refinery in Linden.
"Mike is okay but has a road of recovery ahead," the fire company posted on Facebook.
The fire company set up a GoFundMe page to collect money for Black and more than $4,700 had been raised from at least 42 donations as of Tuesday, Jan. 23. The fundraiser page said Black was responding to a fire about 150 feet up in a tower before he was caught in an explosion on Monday, Jan. 15.
Black was thrown from the doorway and hit a guardrail that stopped him from being thrown off the tower. A rope rescue team pulled Black about 100 feet down the tower.
The fire company learned more about Black's injuries on Tuesday, Jan. 23 after he texted an update to his union president. According to Black's text message, he'll need surgery after breaking three bones in his left leg, dislocating an ankle, and rupturing ankle tendons.
Black also said he has a severely bruised wrist, a sprained knee and shoulder, and a bruised back. He's also being treated for smoke inhalation and a doctor told him his left lung is "a little abnormal."
The GoFundMe page said Black had many first- through third-degree burns. They were especially severe on his forehead after the explosion knocked off his helmet.
Black said his forehead burn is "improving nicely," but other burns are taking time to heal.
"My face burns have looked worse every day, but the skin is peeling now and actually looking much better than I expected," Black's text message said.
The GoFundMe page also said Black is recovering in a wheelchair.
"Mike's recovery will be pretty long and he will be out of work for the unforeseeable future," the fundraiser page said. "Mr. Black has a wife and five kids at home with him. He is nothing but a help to the community and we would love to help our brother out in any way we possibly can. We would appreciate all of your prayers and any love you can send to his family."
According to the Phillips 66 website, the Bayway Refinery is used to distill and process crude oil. The refinery also has a polypropylene plant that produces up to 775 million pounds of the plastic material per year.
Bayway Refinery produces transportation fuels and home heating oil distributed across the east coast.
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