Ibaraki cops: Man lights woman, self on fire during argument

IBARAKI (TR) – A man may face attempted murder charges after dousing his partner with fluid and setting them both on fire at a restaurant in Tsuchiura City on Friday, police said on Friday.

According to witnesses cited by police, the man, a 52-year-old Iranian national, was sitting with his female partner, a 36-year-old Filipino, at family restaurant Saizeriya when the couple got into an altercation. He then doused her with an unidentified fluid and they both caught fire, the Asahi Shimbun reports (Nov. 12).

The pair are now unconscious in serious condition after being rushed to a hospital. Police are investigating whether to charge the man with attempted murder.

At around 2:55 p.m., emergency services received an emergency call about “people on fire.” Officers arriving at the scene found the pair suffering from severe burns over their entire bodies with their clothes burned.

Last month, police gave the man a verbal warning after he threatened to kill the woman if she “didn’t let me see my child,” and advised the woman not to meet with the man. The woman was also told to lodge a complaint with police, but she did not comply.

According to police, the man and woman, who live in separate locations, were arguing about him meeting their child just prior to the incident.

Other diners at the restaurant, none of whom were hurt, were quoted by NHK as telling police they “saw a man and woman arguing” and “the woman caught fire after the man doused her with fluid.”

A witness told the Asahi they “thought they heard a ‘whoosh’ sound, and then the man was a ball of flame.”