Press release from Asheville Police Department:
Asheville Police Department Officers responded just behind the Asheville Fire Department and EMS to a woman who was on fire near the 100 block of New Leicester Highway.
The victim had recently purchased gasoline in a small bottle and walked behind a nearby building before being engulfed in flames. A good Samaritan saw her and grabbed a fire extinguisher from a nearby store and put the fire out.
The 44-year-old woman suffered severe burns on 90% of her body, and was taken from Mission Hospital to the Burn Care Center at the Doctor’s Hospital in Georgia.
Detectives and Investigators from the Fire Department are still investigating the cause of the ignition, however, the evidence suggests self-immolation.
If you have any information about this or any other incident, you can anonymously share information by texting TIP2APD to 847411 (Tip411). You can also contact APD directly at (828) 252-1110.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.