A PENSIONER has died after suffering serious burns in an explosion in his Hampshire workshop.

The 84-year-old was in the building in the back garden of his home in Highlands Road, Fareham, when it caught fire suddenly.

He managed to escape the flames and was tended by a neighbour until emergency services arrived.

Though conscious the man was badly burnt and was taken by air ambulance to the Southampton General Hospital where he died at around 1am on Monday.

Police said next-of-kin had been informed.

Fire crews from Fareham found the building well alight with flames coming through the roof and windows and lots of smoke.

They tackled it with a jet and smashed open the garage door.

A woman who lives nearby was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

One firefighter who attended said he believed the man had been spraying something at the time the incident unfolded, around 4pm on Sunday.

Firefighters said from what they had heard from residents it was “a flash fire” – where a flash sets light to many things very quickly.

The workshop was completely destroyed.