Man sets himself on fire in centre of Amsterdam

A man set himself on fire in the center of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on Wednesday and was transported to hospital with severe burns.

The identity of the man or the reasons for his actions are not yet known.

The man was standing on Dam square, just before The National Monument, erected in commemoration of the victims of World War II. Eyewitnesses reported he looked confused and spoke with a foreign accent but gave no indication of why he would set himself alight.

He warned the people around him before he set himself on fire. Bystanders tried to extinguish the fire with their coats, but could not put the flames out for several minutes.

Emergency services arrived quickly and police closed the area around the monument for visitors.

Source: Xinhua

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