A Hillsville man suffered burn injuries after an industrial-sized battery exploded in his face Sept. 23 at Mohawk Industries in Hillsville.

Jerry Goad was changing out a battery about “three to four times the size of a regular battery,” Carroll County Emergency Services Coordinator Joe Roma said, when the battery exploded.

“It exploded in his face and possibly a gallon or gallon-and-a-half of acid spilled to the ground,” Roma said. “The Hillsville Volunteer Fire Department neutralized it with baking soda and he was flown to Baptist.”

Roma said Goad initially complained he couldn’t see after the explosion, but regained his vision after treatment.

“He was bleeding on the chin where the acid burned on him and he had some trauma, so we flew him to Baptist for precautionary measures,” Roma said.