The Eagles’ leadership group member suffered severe burns to 27 per cent of his body when a metal drum he was cutting into with an angle grinder exploded.

Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said the service received a call at 4.17pm on Friday for a Woodford address, with a man in his 20s suffering serious burns to his face, arms and chest.

“He was taken through to Warrnambool hospital and then taken out to the airport and flown down to The Alfred in a critical condition,” Mr Mullen said.

On Sunday, North Warrnambool Eagles operations manager Jaime Barr said Wines’ condition was “definitely improving”.

“He’s still in intensive care and will be for a while, but they’ve taken the tube out today and he’s been responsive with his family,” Ms Barr said.

Wines’ mother Sue said doctors were “really confident” he would make a full recovery.

She said the family was “very grateful” for the support it had been shown by the community since the accident occurred.