Iconic TV host Jay Leno has confirmed he suffered ‘serious burns’ and was rushed to hospital from a gasoline fire after a car in his luxury LA garage set alight on Sunday.
The former Tonight Show presenter, 72, was at his Los Angeles mansion when one of the vehicles ‘erupted into flames without warning’ – with sources telling TMZ the left side of his face was burned.
In a statement Leno said: ‘I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire. I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.’
The host of Jay Leno’s Garage was taken to the burn ward at Grossman Burn Center according to TMZ, with his eye and ear not affected by the fire.
He canceled a performance in Las Vegas on Sunday after event organizers revealed he suffered a ‘serious medical emergency.’
An email to Forum 2022 attendees from The Financial Brand and obtained by People read: ‘His family was not able to provide us very many details, but there was a very serious medical emergency that is preventing Jay from traveling.
In a statement Leno (pictured in a shot on his Instagram yesterday) said: ‘I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire. I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet’
He joined President Biden at the secret service training ground to discuss hot-rodding and the future of electric cars earlier this year
The star has more than 180 vehicles including exotic cars, hypercars and museum-grade artifacts
The Grossman Burn Center in California is pictured on Monday afternoon as Leno sits in the hospital suffering from burns to his face
‘All we know is that he is alive, so our prayers go out to him and his family tonight.’ It is understood Leno has canceled his engagement for the week as a precaution, after being rushed to hospital.
Jay Leno’s Garage posted a picture of the host posing inside of his garage with three of his extensive car collection yesterday on Instagram.
Currently it is unclear which of the vehicles may have malfunctioned and caused the blaze in his property.
The star has more than 180 vehicles including exotic cars, hypercars and museum-grade artifacts, according to US News & World Report.
His collection includes vehicles which are both affordable and attainable, with the host of Jay Leno’s Garage having an affinity for motor vehicles.
It is not the first time the star has put himself at risk with his beloved vehicles, as he was left visibly shaken after getting in a car crash while filming the CNBC show in 2016 with legendary stunt driver Bob Riggle.
Both ended up upside down after Riggle lost control and the car rolled over, though neither were hurt.
Leno – whose eye and ear was not affected in the blaze – has been taken to the burn ward at Grossman Burn Center
The former Tonight Show presenter missed an appearance at a financial conference – with an email to Forum 2022 attendees from The Financial Brand and obtained by People confirming the star is in ill-health
The star has an extensive collection of cars, and was working on one at the time of the incident
Leno enjoys showing off his extensive collection of cars, which are kept in pristine condition in his garage – with this pair of Buick Roadsters being his first cars when he moved to LA
The star is pictured with wife Mavis in 2013, and boasts an impressive car collection of more than 180 vehicles
In 2019, he spoke about his battle with high cholesterol after he was shown a scan of a blockage in his heart.
Working in collaboration with Cholesterol 911, he urged others to overhaul their lifestyles.
He said; ‘We really want people to see the connection, because a lot of people don’t realize high cholesterol — and if you’ve had a heart attack or stroke, you’re increasing your risk for another one.
‘It’s like an earthquake, it might not destroy the house, but it certainly weakens the structure.’
‘There’s a lot of people walking around like that, they’re just time bombs. You’ve got all this cholesterol, you don’t realize it until it actually hits, you know?
‘It’s like in a car, if even one piece of dirt gets in the eye of the needle of the jet, and boom and no more gas comes through. And that’s what happens with your heart.’
He has previously detailed taking medication and using a portable EKG device that monitors his heart rhythm and detects irregular heartbeats.
Leno added: ‘I’m not one of those guys. I don’t run five miles a day and do all that kind of stuff.
‘Hopefully I’m appealing to people who think like me, which is probably the majority of the population, who would like to do more but not if it sounds like kind of a pain.
Iconic TV host Jay Leno, 72, confirmed that he suffered serious facial burns and been hospitalized after a car in his garage set alight on Sunday
A Mercer Type 35J ‘Raceabout’ was the first mass produced dual purpose sports/race car produced in the pre WW1 era and will set you back almost 1 million USD and is part of Jay Leno’s extensive car collection
The star was joined by Joe Biden on an episode of his show in October, with the thrill-seeking president pushing his beloved Corvette to over 100mph while drag racing
Biden also appeared in Leno’s car-centric television show while he was vice president, in October 2016
‘But this is not a pain, it’s really simple. You go to the doctor, it’s a quick visit, he can tell you what you need to do.’
The star was joined by Joe Biden on an episode of his show in October, with the thrill-seeking president pushing his beloved Corvette to over 100mph while drag racing.
Biden and Leno reunited this summer, and drove his 1967 Corvette Stingray around the James J. Rowley Secret Service training facility in Beltsville, Maryland.
The president whizzed around at astounding speeds of 118mph in front of the camera, while he admitted that he missed being able to drive himself around while living in the White House.
Biden also appeared in Leno’s car-centric television show while he was vice president, in October 2016.
The president, who frequently discusses his love of cars, raced Colin Powell in that episode – before he died October last year at the aged 84.
In 2016, Powell lost the race to Biden, and Michael, 59, said he intended to avenge his father – saying he would ‘settle the score’.
Michael was driving a 2015 Corvette with 455 horsepower V8 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, worth $55,000.
Biden was racing him in his $150,000 1967 Stingray, with 350 horsepower and a four-speed manual gearbox.