Jay Leno hospitalized after suffering "severe burns" from gasoline fire

Television host Jay Leno was seriously injured after suffering severe burns when a vehicle caught fire in the garage of his Los Angeles home. The comedian had to be rushed to the emergency room and was later hospitalized at the Grossman Burn Center after the gas tank of one of his cars exploded. According to TMZ, the most worrisome injuries were on the left side of his face. His eyes and ears were not affected.

Car collector

The comedian is an avid car collector and has more than 180 cars and 160 motorcycles in his garage, ranging from exotic and antique to more affordable models. Media reports have not clarified which of the vehicles may have malfunctioned and caused the fire on his property.

The accident has led to the cancellation of several events Leno was due to attend, including Sunday's, The Financial Brand conference, justifying his absence to the organization as a "very serious medical emergency." The 72-year-old comedian released a statement to Variety magazine in which he announced that he will be out for a week or two:

Leno is one of the most recognizable television personalities in the country. He rose to fame with his late-night program The Tonight Show -now hosted by Jimmy Fallon-. He is an Emmy Award winner. He has also appeared as a guest on series such as Friends, The Simpsons, American Dad and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. His latest show, Jay Leno's Garage, shows his fondness for vehicles and is recorded precisely in the area where the explosion happened.