A man was hospitalized with severe burns after catching fire overnight in Kensington, according to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Just after 3 a.m. Friday, police responded to a 911 call reporting a person on fire near the 3400 block of Kensington Avenue. When officers and firefighters arrived, they found a 34-year-old man unconscious on the sidewalk, Small said.
According to Small, the man suffered from severe burns to both legs, arms and hands.
He was taken to Temple University Hospital in critical condition. Small said he is expected to survive.
According to Small, investigators at the scene found burned clothing and two lighters on the sidewalk near where the man was found. Preliminary investigation from the fire department suggests the fire may have been accidental, based on the two lighters found on scene, with one lighter appearing to have exploded or broken, Small said.
Witnesses passing by told investigators the man was “engulfed in flames” at one point, according to police.
Police found several nearby homes with surveillance cameras and hope the video will help determine what happened.
Small added that no obvious drug paraphernalia was found at the scene.
The Fire Marshal’s Office is working to determine whether the fire was accidental or whether someone else set the man on fire.