Source : Perth Now news
A man is fighting for life in hospital after accidentally setting himself on fire and being “left for dead” by his accomplice in a tobacco shop arson attack.
A ute reversed and rammed its tray into the front of the business near the corner of High St and Alexandra St in Melton, in Melbourne’s west, shortly after 2.50am Thursday.
CCTV footage shows two men in hoods getting out of the vehicle, armed with jerry cans and trying to get underneath the roller door, dousing petrol over the front of the business.
A split second later, the shop went up in flames, with a large explosion blasting onto the footpath and setting both men on fire.
One of the men, aged 23, began rolling on the ground to try and put out the flames that were engulfing his clothes and body.
He managed to limp back into the ute while still alight as his accomplice began driving off.
But seconds later, the still-burning 23-year-old fell out of the vehicle.
The driver sat for a few minutes before speeding off, leaving the first man behind and still on fire.
The 23-year-old was found in the area by emergency crews and rushed to the Alfred Hospital in a critical condition.
Shortly after the fire, police found the pair’s ute dumped on the Western Highway in Hopetoun Park, about 6km from the blaze.
A witness told 9News the tobacco shop erupting in flames was “a big, like, explosion”.
“I thought bomb straight away,” they said.
The second man involved in the arson attack remains on the run.
Police believe he may have suffered significant burns to his hands and feet in the firebombing.
Arson squad Detective Inspector Chris Murray said the fugitive fleeing the scene showed “no care” for his accomplice, who is fighting for life.
“His so-called mate left him for dead,” he said.
“No care, not concern, matter of saving his own skin.”
He said these arson attacks come with “immense risk”, not only to the community but also to the perpetrators themselves.
“We have also seen incidents where offenders have died as a result of sustaining burns and this remains a very real possibility to happen again with this incident.
“Fire is uncontrollable and unpredictable and we can only be thankful it’s not an innocent member of the public who has been injured.”
Anyone with information or CCTV footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
