A 56-year-old man was rushed to hospital after attempting self-immolation in front of the courthouse on Calle Ángel Bruna in Cartagena, Murcia. According to the regional 112 emergency service, bystanders made urgent calls reporting that the man was threatening to ignite himself in front of a crowd before carrying out the act. Court employees quickly intervened, using the building’s fire extinguishers to douse the flames. Local police officers subsequently moved the conscious man inside the premises until medical assistance arrived.
The man resorted to using gasoline, which significantly increased the severity of his burns. Regarding the motivation behind the act, witnesses indicated he was protesting against a court ruling handed down against him, although the specific judicial decision remains unknown. Paramedics treated him at the scene before an ambulance transported him to the specialist burn unit at the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital. Municipal firefighters were also dispatched to the location to assist.
The event follows a similar incident in the city of Murcia last January, when a local council firefighter attempted self-immolation in Belluga Square. On that occasion, the individual waited for officers to arrive before igniting the flames at his feet. Due to wearing a fireproof suit and the swift intervention of local police officers who subdued him, he avoided suffering burns. Sources indicated that his action was an attempt to highlight poor working conditions.
