A man was taken to a hospital in critical condition Thursday night after he was seen fully engulfed in flames at a Phoenix shopping center, according to police.
Lindsay Riedlinger, manager Arby’s in the 3500 block of W. Glendale Ave., grabbed the fire extinguisher after customers reported seeing the victim on fire outside the sandwich shop. The man’s clothes were found in a pile still on fire, she said.
“He just looked really scared,” Riedlinger said. “A lot of people were surrounding him. … Smoke was coming off of him like crazy.”
The victim then apparently ran to another nearby restaurant – a Taco Bell. The man was still smoldering and the restaurant was evacuated, authorities said.
Phoenix fire paramedics said the man suffered second-and third-degree burns. He was rushed to a local burn center.
Phoenix police Sgt. Trent Crump said officers were trying to unravel the details and figure out why the man on was fire in the first place.
Agencies/Canadajournal