Man who attempted to burn girlfriend sets himself on fire—report

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A 48-year-old man’s attempt to set his girlfriend ablaze after dousing her with lighter fluid backfired as he accidentally ignited himself instead.

The man, whose name was withheld, ended up setting himself on fire in Illinois in the United States, but the girlfriend was able to immediately pat out the flames, as per local newspaper Herald & Review earlier today, Oct. 23.

The 51-year-old girlfriend, whose name was also withheld, called the police on the afternoon of Oct. 21, but the call was abruptly cut off, according to a sworn affidavit.

The police then responded by going to the woman’s address in Decatur. The woman answered the door wearing a shirt that was drenched in lighter fluid, the report said.

The woman guided the police to her bedroom where officers saw that curtains had been ripped off and also doused with lighter fluid.

She told police that her boyfriend, whom she had been with for 24 years, repeatedly tried to set the drapes and her on fire, but failed to do so.

“She stated that he briefly set himself on fire, but she patted it out right away,” police officer John Doswell was quoted as saying.

The man has since been arrested and is facing preliminary charges of domestic battery and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence, according to the report. Ian Biong /ra

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