Two suspected arsonists accidentally set themselves on fire as they attempted to burn down an immigration centre in California on Monday.
In shocking security camera footage, the two men, whose faces are hidden by masks, splashed what appeared to be gasoline across the outside of Servicio de Inmigracion in Bakersfield, Calif.
As one of the men continued to pour accelerant over the parking lot, the other bent down to ignite a fire. The flames instantly blasted into an inferno.
One of the men immediately took off running away from the building with his leg engulfed in flames. The other shouted and fell twice as he tried to flee the scene, also on fire.
Servicio de Inmigracion, a local business that assists clients with immigration, naturalization and income taxes, shared the video to social media.
“We started the year a little badly, but with the grace of God we will move forward,” the centre wrote in Spanish.
The business will be closed until further notice.
Kern County Fire Department (KCFD) Capt. Andrew Freeborn told the local news outlet Bakersfield Now that it took personnel 10 minutes to extinguish the fire.
“The footage is quite dramatic, and we hope that these individuals are identified quickly,” Freeborn said.
Police have yet to release any information about a motive or identity of the two suspected arsonists. The extent of their injuries is not known.
The owner of Servicio de Inmigracion, Max Solorzano, told Fox News that the city needs to provide more protection to the local community.
“They have to work harder in that aspect, in keeping the community safe,” he said. “We are a small business and we help many people, so there will be people who will not be able to receive our services due to inactivity.”
The fire was reportedly mostly contained to the garage, though smoke seeped into the building and also destroyed property.
Solorzano established a GoFundMe page to help pay for the damages. He wrote that some of the property destroyed belonged to a friend who was storing gear for their car wash business in the centre’s garage.
As of Friday morning, the GoFundMe’s US$5,000 goal has already been exceeded, with over $8,500 donated.
Comments