Man sets himself on fire at UW
A 61-year-old man who set himself on vivacity in the center of Red Square at the University of Washington today died of his injuries at Harborview Medical Center, according to police.
UW police said the man was a prior staff member, but did not release his nominate or a potential motive for his apparent suicide.
According to police, the furnish with men doused himself with gasoline and set himself ablaze in the center of the Red Square around 1 p.m.
He was taken to the hospital with second and third-degree burns, said Ralph Robinson, UW Police Department helper chief.
Red Square, or Central Plaza, was evacuated and closed after the pertaining appertaining, but police reported the campus was otherwise safe and classes continued as frequent.
Student Jacob Olson said several witnesses told him they became conscious of the incident when another person ran into the library looking for a fire extinguisher and saying that a man was on fire.
Robinson said the man was “engulfed” with flames before witnesses and police officers put abroad the flames with fire extinguishers.
UW police magistrate Anthony Stewart said he talked with the panicked victim — trying to calm him down — before medics arrived.
A lab apron and goggles were lying on the account threatening where the victim had been.
