Vancouver police are investigating a disturbing incident after a man was spotted with his clothing on fire outside a SkyTrain station.
Early Sunday morning, Andrew Coulthard told Global News that he and his friends came across the man in front of the Main Street – Science World Station.
He said they forced the man to the ground and he used his jacket to smother the flames before calling paramedics.
Despite it being a busy intersection, Coulthard said no one else stopped to help.
“He had like accelerant or, like, gas or something on him, so the flames were really, really intense, and they wouldn’t go out,” Coulthard said.
“So he, at this point, sort of had a jacket half hanging off of him, and it was just convenient. So I grabbed it, and I started just beating the flames with it until they went out.”
Coulthard said the victim told him the fire was deliberately set.
Sgt. Steve Addison with the Vancouver Police Department said they are investigating what happened.
“We accompanied the burn victim to the hospital, where he received treatment and has since been released,” he said.
“He’s got some burns to his upper body that he sustained during this incident.”
Addison is asking for any witnesses to come forward.