Seattle police officers rushed to save a man who apparently set himself on fire in the University District this morning.
At about 3:10 a.m., patrol officers responded to reports of a man on fire in the 4500 block of Brooklyn Avenue Northeast. Officers arrived within five minutes and found him ingulfed in flames, running through the alleyway.
Police yelled for him to stop, drop, and roll, yet he continued running. The officers ran towards him and used a fire extinguisher to put the fire out as he collapsed to the ground.
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) responded to the scene and treated the victim. SFD transported him to Harborview Medical Center (HMC) with second degree burns covering his body.
Officers collected video footage from a nearby building showing that the man fell asleep next to a makeshift fire which rapidly spread to his clothing, engulfing him in flames.
Due to the rescue efforts by first responders, the man survived. He is currently at HMC in critical condition.
Incident Number: 2025-314103