The father of a 21-year-old man who died after suffering 83% burns in an industrial accident paid a moving tribute to his son today.
Benjamin Pinkham, from Saltash, east Cornwall, died at Bristol's Frenchay Hospital on Saturday.
He was cleaning inside a 10m by 6m tank at Princess Yachts International in Plymouth last Monday afternoon when there was an explosion. Reports in the Western Morning News said: "It is believed he was cleaning the tank with acetone to remove hardened resin before the accident occurred."
A firefighter said at the time that the inside of the tank became engulfed in a "fireball'' from which Mr Pinkham could not escape.
Brian Pinkham, 41, said of his son today: "He was a beautiful boy who touched people. He could walk into a room with 100 people he had never met before and after he left he would have 100 friends. He just had that effect.
"The world has lost a lovely boy and somebody who may have made a difference. He has been taken from us for some reason. Some day we may know what that reason was."
Mr Pinkham praised the prompt action of a colleague who helped pull Ben from the burning tank. And he thanked paramedics and hospital staff for their support.
"When he came to hospital he was conscious. He was still Ben. When his girlfriend arrived the first thing he said to her was: 'How did you get on in your exam today?'
"If it hadn't been for the prompt actions of everybody we may never have had that memory.''
The incident was being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive.
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