The man was seen staggering around a street while covered head-to-toe in flames – and died in hospital after he was treated at the scene
A man has died after he was seen engulfed in flames while staggering around a street in Birmingham.
A harrowing video – which we have decided not to publish here – captured the man covered head-to-toe in flames while panicked bystanders rushed out of their vehicles to help.
One person was seen using a fire extinguisher to quickly douse the flames, but despite the man receiving treatment at the scene, he died in hospital a short time later, West Midlands Police said. His death is not being treated as suspicious, the force added.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “We were called to Hospital Street in Newtown, shortly after 3.40pm on October 8, after receiving reports a man had suffered burn injuries.
“The man, in his 40s, received treatment at the scene but sadly died in hospital a short time later. His death is not being treated as suspicious.”
The incident was filmed by someone from a nearby residential building before being circulated widely on WhatsApp this week, BirminghamLive reports.
In the video, a number of vehicles were parked along the road while the man was covered in the flames. Worried members of the public rushed to his aid, with some pulling over their vehicles while driving past.
One bystander, stood around two metres away from the man, used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, while a second man, dressed in blue jeans and an orange jumper, approached the victim and appeared to be asking if he was alright, while also calming him down.
The man’s clothes appeared to be completely burnt off after the fire was put out, and moments later, he was seen standing and speaking with firefighters and police officers.