so many things wrong there, chief among them is the lack of a fire extinguisher.
I think he may have a nasty burn to remind him.

Lucky! Dumb luck but lucky. I am often amazed that there are not more garage and shop fires when you think about all the guys pulling moves like that, welding in messy/cluttered garages etc.

Can happen so easily. Shop in Salford burnt down a few years back (probably 10). Mechanic was testing an electric fuel pump, touched the wires together, the wires arced and the shop burnt.