Gladiator II stuntman sues over injuries from on-set explosion

"The Claimant, playing a dead soldier, was lying on the port side of a ship which had been lit up by gas powered flame bars to simulate it being on fire," according to documents he filed at London's High Court.

"He was positioned only a few feet away from the gas line. Without warning, there was a gas explosion that caught the Claimant and blew him forwards.

"He saw 20 foot tall flames and felt immense heat. His costume caught fire. He was immediately aware that strips of skin had peeled from his arms.

"He panicked and ran, falling over a few times before escaping the flames. Bottles of water were thrown on him by colleagues, he was undressed and clingfilm was applied to his burns."