Portland man dies after setting himself on fire

January 28, 2010

PORTLAND, Ore. - A man poured gasoline over his body then set himself on fire outside Nicholas Ungar Furs at 12th and Yamhill Wednesday morning. Police used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. 26-year-old Daniel Schaull later died from his injuries at the hospital, police said. Schaull was pronounced dead last night at a local Portland hospital.

Firefighters arrived just after 11 a.m. to find Schaull significantly burned. Witnesses said they heard someone screaming for help, that they looked up and saw a man fully engulfed in flames, running down the street. Bystanders as well as police extinguished the flames and Schaull was transported to Legacy Emanuel Hospital with critical injuries.

It was not immediately clear whether Shaull was protesting against the store, which has had problem with animal rights activists in the past, but witnesses said he was screaming about the treatment of animals.

“There are animals dying! Animals dying!” witnesses said Shaull was screaming as flames engulfed his body and shot above his head.

 “He tried to run into the building,” said witness Mike Cheema who owns a food cart a few feet from where the incident occurred. “The door was locked. He couldn’t get in. He came right out screaming, ‘the world is ending, animals dying!"

“I looked over … flames, burning. I thought he was crazy,” said another witness L.C. “It was traumatizing. It was horrible.”

“I saw a guy that was running around with his arms waving, and he was completely on fire,” said Julie Sies who was walking to a dentist appointment at the time. “He was just screaming and asking for help.”

Witnesses gave different accounts of the path Shaull took while he was on fire. The fire blackened the sidewalk and charred remains were scattered about the area, including what appeared to be a footprint.

When the officer went to get a fire extinguisher out of the trunk of her patrol car, she accidentally grabbed a large can of pepper spray used in riot control. Sizer said the pepper spray cans are red like a fire extinguisher.

The pepper spray was water-based, not oil-based, and nonflammable. Kim Kosmas  of the Fire Bureau said the spray "didn't have any additional reaction with him already being on fire."

Police spokeswoman Mary Wheat said the officer is on vacation that was planned before the incident. Police are not pursuing any disciplinary action, she said. She declined to identify the officer.

Sizer said the bureau is going to look at ways to better distinguish items carried in trunks.

When Shaull set himself on fire, a person driving by also responded immediately and grabbed a fire extinguisher from his truck. Sizer said Shaull was running away from those trying to help him. Several officers and residents were later involved, she said.

Shaull was taken to Legacy Emanuel Hospital where he later died.

No one at Nicholas Ungar Furs wanted to comment on the incident. A police spokesman said they are continuing their investigation