PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — A man is fighting for his life after he was found engulfed in flames on a city sidewalk in the early hours of Friday morning, and investigators still do not know exactly what happened.
Just after 3 a.m., police responded to a 911 call reporting a person on fire near the 3400 block of Kensington Avenue. Officers and firefighters arrived to find a 34-year-old man lying unconscious on the sidewalk, his body badly burned.
He was not moving.
What Investigators Found at the Scene
The man suffered severe burns to both legs, both arms, and his hands. He was transported to Temple University Hospital in critical condition. Authorities say he is expected to survive.
At the scene, investigators recovered burned clothing and two lighters on the sidewalk near where the man was found. One of the lighters appeared to have exploded or broken apart.
Based on that evidence, the fire department’s preliminary assessment is that the fire may have been accidental.
Witnesses who were passing by told investigators the man was fully engulfed in flames at one point.
No drug paraphernalia was found at the scene, according to police.
Investigation Still Open
Police located surveillance cameras on several nearby homes and are reviewing that footage to piece together exactly what happened in the moments before the fire.
The Fire Marshal’s Office has taken over and is working to determine whether this was a tragic accident — or whether someone deliberately set the man on fire.
That question remains unanswered.
Do you think this was an accident or something more? Share your thoughts in the comments.
