Melbourne Man Sets Himself on Fire While Screaming about Covid Vaccine Mandates

A man has set himself and his car on fire in front of horrified diners while screaming about Victoria’s Covid-19 vaccine mandates

The man emerged from a silver MG3 hatchback engulfed in flames near Church St in Richmond about 8pm on Saturday

Police officers and firefighters doused the man with water to extinguish the blaze with the help of about five witnesses

The bystanders helped restrain the man before police officers pinned him to the ground. 

He was then taken into an ambulance and rushed to hospital. 

Police said he had suffered life-threatening injuries. 

One witness who helped restrain the man said his flesh was burning before the flames were put out with water.

‘His skin was burning. He was on fire. His skin is stuck to [my] shirt,’ she told The Herald Sun.

‘He was off his face screaming about the mandates.

Lydia O’Connor was having dinner at a nearby restaurant when she heard the man screaming. 

‘He poured gas on himself and on his car. It was on purpose,’ Ms O’Connor told the publication.

‘He was screaming about mandates. He was screaming “no vax ID” and throwing books.

Bystanders said they initially saw black smoke coming from the vehicle, which was left with a charred driver’s side door.