The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is investigating after a distraught man carrying a gasoline can set himself on fire inside a Vancouver McDonald’s Thursday evening.
Police say the man entered a McDonald’s restaurant near Commercial Drive and East Broadway Avenue carrying a gasoline can, threatening to harm himself just after 9 p.m. Thursday.
“Negotiations with the man were unsuccessful, and he lit himself and parts of the restaurant on fire. Officers used less lethal Arwen rounds, and members from Vancouver Fire and Rescue used a high-pressure water hose on the man,” police said in a statement.
The man, believed to be in his 30s, was transported to hospital with serious burn injuries. Parts of the restaurant were damaged in the incident. There are no other reported injuries related to the incident.
Damage inside McDonald’s on Commercial Drive, where distraught man in his 30s emptied a can of gasoline and set himself on fire. He is in hospital with serious burns. @VancouverPD say they try to negotiate with him before he started the fire. @iiobc now investigating. pic.twitter.com/mLVBgMeaGR
— Nafeesa Karim (@nafeesakarim) March 16, 2018
Police incident closes area around #CommercialDrive and Broadway – witness said a man threatened to set a @McDonalds restaurant on fire #eastvan #FOAMed https://t.co/zGbazfCkjA
— Scott Stewart (@scottastewart71) March 16, 2018
A block of Commercial at Broadway is closed as fire crews deal with a fire at the McDonald’s restaurant. One man taken to hospital with burns. Full update in 15 minutes on CTV 11:30. #Vancouver #CTV pic.twitter.com/puQyMn2Tn7
— Allison Hurst (@AllisonM_Hurst) March 16, 2018