A fiery situation presented itself in Ottawa on Monday afternoon outside the Rideau Carlton Raceway. The Raceway, home to the OLG slots and approved site of the proposed Ottawa casino, became bombarded by firefighters and emergency crews when a man lit himself on fire in the parking lot.
Emergency crews were called in shortly before 4pm Monday afternoon. According to the fire department, witnesses attempted to put out the flames before they engulfed the man’s body. However, firefighters were forced to spray the man when they arrived at the scene, yet the man was still covered in second and third degree burns.
After the fire was extinguished, the man was rushed to the Ottawa Hospital. Ambulance crews were forced to provide life support treatment for the man on the way to the hospital, but investigators confirmed the man did survive the trip, yet he remains in critical condition.
A portion of the Rideau Carlton parking lot remained sealed off into the evening hours as investigators combed through what remained of the man’s clothes and belongings. Brian Morris, a spokesperson for the Ottawa Paramedic Service, spoke to the press in the evening about what happened, and how emergency crews handled the situation.
“Somebody had tried to put him on the ground and roll him, but there was still flame and smoke coming off him. Firefighters had to extinguish him with sterile water. It was pretty bad.”
A spokesperson for the crews that manage the OLG slots was also at the scene, but refused to speak about the incident. How the fire may affect the OLG’s plans for the Ottawa casino is unknown at this time.
