Police Officer Burned After Man Sets Himself On Fire

NEWBURY (CBS) - A Newbury police officer was hospitalized after a gas station employee doused himself in gasoline and lit himself on fire.

The Essex County district attorney's office said the officer who responded to the scene was burned and later admitted to a local hospital for treatment. He was not identified.

A 24-year old Newbury man, who is an employee of Ampet Gas station on High Road, was seriously burned and flown to a Boston hospital with life-threatening injuries, the DA's office said.

Sources told WBZ-TV's Cheryl Fiandaca that the man also drank the gasoline before lighting himself on fire.

At 4:12 p.m. Saturday, Newbury Police received a 911 call from one of two customers who were at the Ampet gas station at the time.

The responding officer attempted to put the flames out with a fire extinguisher as the man ran away. The officer eventually tackled him to the ground and extinguished the flames, according to the DA's office.

Witness Keith Dodge told WBZ-TV that he drove up to the gas station and saw a man completely engulfed in flames, just running around in circles.

"He was so engulfed. There's no way that he could have been that on fire without accellerant," Dodge said, adding that the man's hair was smoldering and he was severely burned.

Dodge said he saw the man take off down Parker Street completely engulfed in flames.

"It doesn't seem like he was all there, 100 percent," he said.

He said a police officer tackled the man to the ground in an attempt to extinguish the flames.

"He was moving, he was trying to get his pants off, and the cop was standing over him with the extinguisher," Dodge said.

An open red gasoline can was seen on the ground behind a parked car at the scene late Saturday afternoon.

Newbury Police officers and firefighters, along with the state Fire Marshal, responded to the scene.

Officials interviewed the gas station owner and witnesses about what happened.

It was a traumatic scene for bystanders and those pumping gas.

Dan Breen, who lives across the street, said it's just bizarre that the incident occurred in a safe and quiet neighborhood.

"I've seen accidents here a lot, you know, but it was unusual, let's put it that way," Breen said.