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Man Sets Himself on Fire in Newark

Newark

A man lit himself on fire in Newark's downtown early Sunday afternoon.

Stunned witnesses saw the man erupt into a bright orange fireball near the intersection of Murray and Austin streets around 12:25 p.m.

A witness told RLS Media that the unidentified Hispanic male was carrying an antifreeze container where they believe he purchased gasoline from a nearby Mobile Gas Station on Broad Street.

"I saw this man, he started acting weird, then poured the liquid from the container on him; then lit a match," the witness told RLS Media. "He started running, and then I saw him covered in flames."

Witnesses in the area said they assisted in extinguishing the blaze before emergency arrived.

Police say the victim was rushed to St. Barnabas Burn Center in Livingston in serious condition.

Newark Police are investigating the incident.

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