PROVO, Utah (ABC 4 News) - People near a Provo 7-11 on Monday said they saw a man outside the store completely engulfed in flames. Emergency responders said he burned 80- 90% of his body.
"He was totally on fire, he hair was really burned," said Celia Rodriguez, witnessed man on fire.
"He was dancing around like a zombie on fire," said David Johnson, witnessed man on fire.
Witnesses and fire fighters couldn't believe what they saw. Some said it didn't seem like he was trying to put himself out.
"He didn't seem like he realized he was on fire," said Johnson.
"It was weird, it was weird in every way, said Batt. Chief Tom Augustus, Provo Fire and Rescue.
Celia Rodriguez said Monday afternoon she was sitting in her office next the 7-11 in Provo on the corner Bulldog Blvd and State Street when she saw a 22 year old man whose entire body was on fire.
"I just was like in shock. I didn't know what to do. I just grabbed my cell phone and called 911," said Rodriguez.
Several other witnesses grabbed fire extinguishers and put the man out. When fire fighters arrived they found the man lying on the ground in front of the 7-11, and a dumpster behind the store still on fire. Responders were baffled.
"All we know is he was back by a dumpster. We're collecting evidence right now trying to determine what the cause was," said Augustus.
The man was airlifted to the University of Utah Hospital Burn Center, but he left behind a disturbing scene. As the fire burned the man, charred pieces of clothing fell to the ground in several places. Witnesses said by the time they put him out he had almost no clothing left.
"What it looked like to me was he was either on drugs or suicidal, one of the two," said Johnson.
"I was so scared because I never saw something like that before," said Rodriguez.
Police who are updating the man's condition said as of Monday evening he's still alive, but will only add "he's in bad shape." So far it's unknown who the man is, or how he caught fire.
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