Father kills himself and leaves nine-year-old with terrible burns after setting them on fire at Japanese school following bitter divorce battle

49-year-old walked into school grounds at 10.30am

He led his son away from baseball game and doused him with fuel

Set them both alight killing himself and leaving son injured

A man killed himself and badly injured his son in a school playground apparently after divorcing his wife.



The 49-year-old father walked into the elementary school, in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, and set fire to himself and his nine-year-old son.



He died from his injuries while the youngster remains in hospital in a critical condition.

Scene: Police cover the area with a large blue tarpaulin after a man set himself and his son alight

School: The boy was playing baseball with his classmates when his father walked into the playground

According to witnesses, the boy was playing baseball with his classmates when his father walked into the playground.



He led his son away at about 10.30am and then poured a flammable liquid, believed to be heating oil, over both of them.

While holding onto the boy, he lit the fuel and they both suffered serious burns.

They were both rushed to a nearby hospital but the father died from his injuries while his son is still unconscious.



Burned: The father died from his injuries while the youngster remains in hospital in a critical condition

The police recovered the can and the lighter that was used and are not releasing the names of the two victims, reports the Japan Daily Press.



Investigators discovered the man had been separated from his wife since May 2012, and they are finalising their divorce. The boy has been living with his mother since their separation.

