Man sets himself on fire near Royal Palace in Amsterdam

2011-04-07 08:16:12 GMT+7 (ICT)

AMSTERDAM (BNO NEWS) -- An unidentified man was badly injured on early Wednesday afternoon when he set himself on fire in the Dutch capital, not far from the royal palace, police said.

The incident happened at around 12.30 p.m. local time when a man set himself on fire on a busy Dam Square in Amsterdam, next to the National Monument and a short distance from the royal palace. Photos and video of the incident quickly appeared online.

An Amsterdam police statement said the man had earlier doused himself with a flammable liquid before setting his clothes on fire. "Witnesses and police officers rushing to the scene were able to extinguish the fire with coats and water," the statement said.

A video released by local broadcaster AT5 showed how the victim was laying on the ground while his body was fully engulfed in flames. Bystanders desperately tried to extinguish the fire with their coats while others watched.

An ambulance transported the man with life-threatening injuries to a nearby hospital, police said. He was later transfered to a Burn Center in Beverwijk.

People who directly witnessed the incident or who assisted in extinguishing the flames were being questioned by police on Wednesday afternoon. "A forensic investigation has begun at the Dam. Police are still searching for the identity of the victim. He is not able to talk. Nothing is known about the reasons for the incident," the police statement added.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-07

The unidentified man has been identified as a 32 year old man from Iran; an asylum seeker.

He didn't survive and died this morning in hospital.

May he RIP :jap:

LaoPo