Maude quit calls amid fuel dispute

A Government minister who suggested filling up jerry cans with fuel because of a threatened tanker drivers' strike has faced growing calls to resign after a woman was severely burned while transferring petrol between canisters in her kitchen.

Diane Hill, 46, from York, is recovering in hospital with 40% burns after vapours ignited as she decanted petrol from one container to another, setting fire to her clothing.

Labour MPs called for the resignation of Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, who has faced a barrage or criticism from fire experts since advising motorists earlier this week to store jerry cans of fuel in their garages.

Workers at an ASDA petrol station in Newcastle tell customers they have run out of diesel

The union representing 2,000 fuel tanker drivers ruled out the threat of strikes over Easter and said it wanted to focus on peace talks. Unite said it retained the right to call industrial action if talks, expected to start next week, break down.

The move followed more panic-buying at garages across the country and the revelation that petrol sales increased by almost 172% on Thursday while sales of diesel were up by almost 77%.

Prime Minister David Cameron said his heart went out to the woman who was burnt, describing it as a "desperate" incident.

Speaking at 10 Downing Street shortly after he chaired another meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency contingencies committee, Mr Cameron welcomed Unite's decision and called on the union to engage constructively in talks expected to start next week at conciliation service Acas.

Firefighter Lee Smith confirmed that the container Ms Hill was decanting from was a green jerry can, adding: "It was a normal tea-time activity, cooking a meal, and the person (Ms Hill) was decanting from a petrol container into a glass jug. The vapour from the petrol was then ignited in the kitchen area. This resulted in spillage of the petrol and further flames which engulfed the person."

John Mann, Labour MP for Bassetlaw, said Mr Maude should do the "decent thing" and resign, saying of the accident: "This is precisely what the fire brigade warned against and the current panic is a direct result of Francis Maude's rash and foolish reaction to negative press on pasties and number 10 dinners, we are now in a position where a woman's life has been placed in danger. Francis Maude should now be considering the consequences of his actions and do the decent thing and resign."

Labour MP Karl Turner tweeted: "Francis Maude should resign if his politicking and unnecessary panic has led to York woman decanting petrol in kitchen suffering 40% burns."