Queensland Woman Critical after Methanol Explosion at Home

A 28-year-old Queensland woman is in critical condition with burns on 90 per cent of her body after a freak accident with methanol on Monday night.

Three others suffered burns from the blast.

In a tragic irony, a drum of methanol exploded when people tried to move the drum away from the barbecue grill as a safety measure.

A 38-year-old man suffered serious burns, two other men have minor burns. The woman in critical condition was the hardest hit by the blast.

The methanol blast happened at a home in Bucasia in Mackay's northern beaches. Emergency services received a help call at 8:30 p.m.

The woman is at Royal Brisbane Hospital, and was critical as of 4:00am Tuesday.

Inspector Peter Flanders told ABC news the group was doing what was supposed to be the right thing when the accident happened.

"Our information is that it was close enough (to the barbeque) that the drum was being moved because it was a concern to the people there," he said, adding, "I suppose if you look at it, they were trying to do the right thing but it was a mismanaged maneuver and ultimately just tragic results."