Enrique Ruiz remembers blacking out, then waking up and feeling like his chest was on fire.

The 52-year-old allegedly suffered second-degree burns to his neck and chest during an emergency tracheotomy performed on April 14 at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx.

The blaze reportedly ignited when critical care surgeon Jay A. Yelon, DO, placed an electrosurgery handpiece too close to Mr. Ruiz's oxygen supply. Hospital sources told the New York Post that Dr. Yelon acknowledged the fire in his post-op report, but failed to mention the burns, noting instead the flames were extinguished with "no danger to the patient."

Nydia Negron, a Lincoln Hospital spokeswoman, says the surgical team immediately recognized the incident and brought the fire under control so as to minimize the size of the burn and allow the procedure to be successfully completed in an emergent manner.

"We have expressed our regrets to the patient and his family and are pleased to know that this injury is expected to fully heal," says Ms. Negron. "The hospital is fully investigating this incident to help prevent this from happening again."

A spokesman for the New York State Health Department says officials there were notified of the incident and are looking into it, but cannot comment specifically until their review is complete.

Dr. Yelon did not respond to requests for comment.

Daniel Cook