Last night a spokeswoman for the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore said that the 37-year-old Crest View Road, Smiths man was in a "guarded condition'' in the hospital's burns unit.

"He's in intensive care and we're keeping a close watch over him,'' the spokeswoman said. "He's got burns over 80 percent of his body -- that's a life-threatening condition. he is listed as guarded and is still not healed.'' Mr. Perinchief was horrifically burned when a gas cooker exploded in his apartment in August.

Police are hoping to interview Mr. Perinchief when he returns to the Island in connection with the incident.