P/Town man set alight

SET on fire by a relative on Saturday, a man stripped off his burning clothing and ran half-a-mile to a friend’s home in Princes Town for help.

Arnold Thomas, a clerk at the San Fernando City Corporation, was yesterday in critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH).

Doctors told police that Thomas received burns to 50 percent of his body and is listed in critical condition. Up to late yesterday a 25-year-old male relative, was being questioned by police in connection with the incident.

Police said the incident was triggered by a heated argument between Thomas and the relative at his (Thomas) Iere Village Branch Road home on Saturday evening.The police report stated that Thomas had accused the relative of stealing items from his home.

According to the report, the relative became enraged, grabbed a container of gasoline and threw the flammable liquid on Thomas.

The report stated that the relative allegedly made several threats to kill Thomas before setting him on fire. Thomas ran out of the house into a bushy area to the back of his house where he frantically pulled off his flaming jersey and pants. With his skin peeling off, police said, Thomas ran about a half mile to his friend’s house where he sought help.

Hearing Thomas’ shouts for help, his friend ran out of his house and on hearing what transpired, rushed Thomas to the Princes Town Police Station. Startled by the extent of burns to Thomas’ body, the policemen sprung into action, rushing Thomas to the Princes Town Hospital for treatment. He was then transferred to the SFGH and admitted to the burns unit. Meanwhile a party of policemen went to Thomas’ home where they arrested the relative.

He was expected to be charged yesterday and if so, will appear in the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court today.

When Newsday visited the area yesterday neighbours said that Thomas’ wife died a few years ago and he lived with his son.

However, Newsday met locked doors at Thomas’ house. Neighbours said they did not hear any noise coming from Thomas’ home on Saturday. In fact, they said, they only realised something had happened when they saw an ambulance and fire bridage in front of Thomas’ house.

Princes Town police are continuing investigations.