Jay Leno Says Car Engine Fire Felt Like His “Face Was on Fire”

Jay Leno is opening up about the November 12 car fire that left him with severe second-degree burns. In an interview with People, the former Tonight Show host shared that he “got a face full of gasoline” while working on the engine of one of his vintage cars, which led to the accident that resulted in his extensive stay at the Grossman Burn Center: “It felt exactly like my face was on fire.”

A classic-car aficionado and the host of Jay Leno’s Garage, Leno told People that “when you work with cars, you have a lot of accidents,” but admitted that the November 12 incident was “bigger than most.” Accompanied by his longtime friend Dave Killackey, Leno was in his Burbank garage attempting to unclog a fuel line in the undercarriage of his 1907 White steam car. “With a steam car, you have gasoline, but you also have a vaporizer, which is heated by a pilot light to turn water into steam,” he told People. Leno reportedly pushed air into the fuel line to try to unclog it, landing him with “a face full of gasoline.” 

“I knew how close I was to the pilot light and I thought, Uh-oh,” Leno said. A spark from the engine combined with the gas, setting Leno’s face aflame. “It felt exactly like my face was on fire,” he said. “Maybe like the most intense sunburn you’ve ever had, that’d be fair to say.” Luckily for Leno, he was smart enough to close his eyes and hold his breath, as he knew that he could seriously damage his lungs if he breathed in. “I was under the car maybe 10 seconds before Dave pulled me out,” Leno said. “Any longer than that, I could have lost my eye.”

The accident landed the comedian in the Grossman Burn Center for nine days, where he underwent two skin grafting surgeries. “When he came in, his burns were deeper than I anticipated,” said Leno’s surgeon, Dr. Peter Grossman. “Jay is definitely an outlier in terms of how well he’s healed considering the severity of his injuries.” Throughout it all, Leno said, he refused to take any pain medication because “the pain is a reminder that I’m an idiot.”

While he was at the Grossman Burn Center, famous friends sent well-wishes, including John Travolta, Russell Crowe, and Tom Selleck. Since leaving the hospital, Leno has hit the stage, performing stand-up at the Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California. He’s learned some lessons, however. “I know how bad it could have been,” said Leno. “But I’m okay. And I’m sure I’ll continue to do the same stupid things I’ve always done—just maybe a little bit more carefully!” You heard it from Leno, kids: Be careful when playing with fire.