George Hunter

The Detroit News

Grief counselors were consoling employees of a Highland Park fast food restaurant Friday after they tried unsuccessfully to save the life of a man who set himself on fire inside the bathroom, police said.

The man stumbled out of the bathroom of the Wendy’s restaurant at 13525 Woodward engulfed in flames Friday afternoon. Employees doused the man with water and called 911, but he died from his injuries, according to a Highland Park police officer who did not give his name.

“’Help!’ That was all he could say at the time,” Highland Park Fire Chief Kevin Coney told WWJ (950 AM). “He was calling for help and (the employees) went back there to try to assist him. But being fully engulfed in flames there’s nothing too much nobody can do but try to put water on him.”

Firefighters arrived to render First Aid, but the man was dead at the scene, police said.

It was unknown why the man set himself on fire, officials said. Coney told WWJ the employees who witnessed the incident were traumatized.

“Anytime you see something like that it is traumatic. They’re doing their best. They’ve (got) grief counselors in there right now assisting them,” he said.

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