Scott
08-02-2008, 10:52 PM
A Newark man frustrated with the volume of late payment notices and collection calls he received from a Bloomfield Rent-A-Center store, walked into the business today and set himself ablaze in front of several employees and customers.
"He basically pulled out a bottle of lighter fluid, poured it all over his body, pulled out a cigarette lighter and lit himself on fire," Bloomfield Police Capt. Chris Goul said.
Employees rushed to get water to extinguish the blaze and the 62-year-old man, Emilio Saladriagas, was rushed to the burn unit at Saint Barnabas Medical Center for treatment.
Saladrigas was listed in critical condition tonight, said hospital spokesman Sally Malech.
The incident happened around 1 p.m. when emergency officials were notified there was a fire at the Bloomfield Avenue store, which allows customers to rent furniture, electronics and other goods with the option of buying the goods.
Saladrigas arrived at the store and asked to speak with a manager about a series of form letters he'd received about late payments on his furniture rentals, Goul said. When he was told a manager wasn't available he became upset and pulled out the lighter fluid.
"At this we don't know if he had mental health issues or what sparked it," he said. "Employees said he'd always been a nice man."
Bloomfield authorities and the Essex County Arson Squad reviewed the store's surveillance tape and because Saladrigas didn't make "overt or criminal" actions to harm anyone but himself, he hasn't been charged with a crime, Goul said.
The store remained open this evening. Crisis teams were sent to the store to counsel employees, said Rent-A-Center spokesman Dwight Dumler.
The company, based in Plano, Texas, has about 3,500 stores nationwide and roughly 50 in New Jersey, according to its website.
Nothing like this had happened before and the company is "...concerned about the gentleman," said Dumler, who described himself in a state of disbelief.
Link (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/newark_man_sets_self_on_fire_i.html)
That's one way to get rid of your bills.
:laugh: :laugh:
"He basically pulled out a bottle of lighter fluid, poured it all over his body, pulled out a cigarette lighter and lit himself on fire," Bloomfield Police Capt. Chris Goul said.
Employees rushed to get water to extinguish the blaze and the 62-year-old man, Emilio Saladriagas, was rushed to the burn unit at Saint Barnabas Medical Center for treatment.
Saladrigas was listed in critical condition tonight, said hospital spokesman Sally Malech.
The incident happened around 1 p.m. when emergency officials were notified there was a fire at the Bloomfield Avenue store, which allows customers to rent furniture, electronics and other goods with the option of buying the goods.
Saladrigas arrived at the store and asked to speak with a manager about a series of form letters he'd received about late payments on his furniture rentals, Goul said. When he was told a manager wasn't available he became upset and pulled out the lighter fluid.
"At this we don't know if he had mental health issues or what sparked it," he said. "Employees said he'd always been a nice man."
Bloomfield authorities and the Essex County Arson Squad reviewed the store's surveillance tape and because Saladrigas didn't make "overt or criminal" actions to harm anyone but himself, he hasn't been charged with a crime, Goul said.
The store remained open this evening. Crisis teams were sent to the store to counsel employees, said Rent-A-Center spokesman Dwight Dumler.
The company, based in Plano, Texas, has about 3,500 stores nationwide and roughly 50 in New Jersey, according to its website.
Nothing like this had happened before and the company is "...concerned about the gentleman," said Dumler, who described himself in a state of disbelief.
Link (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/newark_man_sets_self_on_fire_i.html)
That's one way to get rid of your bills.
:laugh: :laugh: