TV anchor has post-accident debut at Rose Bowl Parade

ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, left, poses for a photo with co-host Josh Elliott, anchor for ABC's "Good Morning America," on the parade grounds of the Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 2013, in Pasadena, Calif. / AP/Courtesy Hannah Storm

Three weeks after suffering first- and second-degree burns to her face, hands, chest and neck, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm was back on the air Tuesday, hosting the Rose Parade telecast with hair extensions, drawn-on eyebrows and a bandaged left hand.

The 50-year-old TV anchor and mother of three says she hopes to turn her ordeal into an opportunity to talk about how to safely operate propane gas grills. It was a gas grill accident at her Connecticut home that injured Storm.

She lost roughly half her hair and her eyebrows and eyelashes were burned off in the accident. She wore extensions for the ABC telecast and a makeup artist drew on eyebrows.

This was the fifth time Storm, a former CBS morning anchor, has hosted the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. She says it was a familiar and comforting setting to make her return.

The Illinois-born award-winning sportscaster and producer was preparing dinner outside her home in Connecticut on the night of Dec. 11 when she noticed the flame on the grill had gone out. She turned off the gas and when she reignited it "there was an explosion and a wall of fire came at me."

"It was like you see in a movie, it happened in a split-second," she said. "A neighbor said he thought a tree had fallen through the roof, it was that loud. It blew the doors off the grill."

Storm was taken by ambulance to the Trauma and Burn Center at Westchester Medical Center and was treated for 24 hours.

[gleahcim]

look, I'm just going to give you the story, I was insulating a wall cavity, the propellant must be heavier than air, it fell to the ground and traveled to the water heater, caught the pilot and back flashed, sucked right into the wall I was foaming. for a second I was in a ball of flames, then my wall was burning, I brought the garden hose in the window, then tore the wall down to make sure it was completely out, imagine if I would have lit a cigarette, while working, I almost lost my house right before christmas, the warning is so small I couldn't read it without my glasses. how many people have died because of improper warning lables on products like this. it was a well ventilated area and it still happened, two doors open and a window partially opened to the out side. this can not be used any whare around a flame, the water heater was four feet away it traveled across the floor.

[gleahcim]

I receiently saw hanna storm on a show ware she got burned by a grill, I have tried to contact her, impossible !
I have a story of similar concern, it's a public safety issue I would like to share about Dow expanding foam product.
I was engulfed in a ball of flames from this product, who would have ever known it was this dangerous, if you would like the story, contact me.

[CNH]

Kudos to Hannah for her willingness to be so open and honest about the accident and the extent of her injuries. Hopefully by sharing her experience, she has spared others from a similar fate when handling a propane grill or stove.