Kangar: A man suffered 96 percent burns on his body after setting himself on fire in a car at Jalan Kampung Syed Omar, here, last night.
Kangar District Police Chief Superintendent Wari Kiew said the police received a call at 8.49pm from a 38-year-old board factory worker who informed that there was a burning car and a man in the vehicle.
A civilian then stopped his car behind the burning car and spotted a man whose body was on fire walking towards him.
The witness then got out of the car and calmed the man as well as extinguished the fire on the victims body before contacting the authorities for help.
"Firefighters who arrived at the scene managed to extinguish the fire on the victim's car and the victim was taken to the Emergency and Trauma Department of Tuanku Fauziah Hospital (HTF), Kangar for treatment," he said in a statement today.
"According to the victim's father, the victim is a psychiatric patient who is still receiving treatment as an outpatient at the HTF Psychiatry Department," he said.
He said the victim had tried to commit suicide, last January and last Tuesday and was rescued by his family.
"The cause of the victim's suicide attempt is believed to be frustration over the fact that his ex-girlfriend has a new lover," he said.
Wari said, in yesterday's incident, the victim's father also informed the police that his son drank petrol at 8.45pm before leaving the house in his car.
He said the victim's father, who was suspicious, lodged a report at the Kangar Police Station because he believed the victim was trying to commit suicide again.
"When they arrived at the police station, the police informed that they found a car on fire on the bridge in Kampung Syed Omar, Kangar.
"The victim's father then went to the scene and confirmed the burning car belonged to the victim," he said.
The victim is still being treated at HTF and is reported to be in critical condition after 96 percent burns on his body.
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