A shocking event occurred at Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan when a man set himself on fire after a heated dispute with his wife over his inability to buy flight tickets. The man, believed to be intoxicated, was captured on a video that was later circulated on social media. In the video, he is seen wearing a baseball cap and jacket, standing at a counter in the airport terminal.
Suddenly, the man was engulfed in flames. He ran from behind the counter into the main area of the terminal, eventually falling and rolling on the floor in an attempt to put out the fire. Airport staff quickly reacted, rushing to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher.
The video shows the man lying on the floor, groaning in pain, his shirt completely burned away. He was immediately transported to a nearby hospital in a critical condition.
An airport employee who spoke to the Kazakh news outlet, Tengrin News, revealed that the man had missed his train home and was desperately trying to secure a flight. He had entered an office and asked for a phone to call his wife. After their argument, he began soaking himself with gasoline. He allowed a worker to leave the office before setting himself on fire.
Onlookers watched in terror as the man, fully aflame, ran screaming into the main area of the terminal. It remains a mystery how the man managed to bring gasoline into the airport, but speculation suggests he may have acquired it from a nearby gas station.
A police officer told Tengrin News, “Some say he may have been drunk.” A criminal investigation into the incident has been launched, with further inquiries ongoing, according to police.