Florida man sets self on fire while setting up cross-burning Halloween decoration

[n2doc]

WFTV - Orlando
PALM BAY, Fla. — A Florida man was hospitalized with serious burns he suffered while decorating his home for Halloween Tuesday night, according to police.

According to his wife and friends, the 50-year-old man was using gas to light a wooden cross as a joke when he set himself on fire at his Palm Bay home.

Investigators said the man's wife used a water hose to douse the flames.

The man was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center with burns over 40 percent of his body and suffered second-degree burns to his upper torso.

Police said the man had been drinking.

more

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/national/police-palm-bay-man-sets-self-fire-while-setting-h/nbPn6/

[FSogol]

1. "Police said the man had been drinking."

[kentauros]

4. Also "cross-burning Halloween decoration" ?!

[Dash87]

32. "Hold mah beer and watch this!"

[Hayabusa]

2. Florida...

Never change.

[Eleanors38]

8. Kinda wish you would change. Obama. Twice. nt

[Hayabusa]

16. What exactly are you implying here?

All I made was a comment about how all the weird news stories happen in Florida.

[Eleanors38]

24. Well, you are wrong about "all." Just another pile-on regarding Florida...

DU is becoming noted for regional prejudice, even directed toward a state which Obama carried twice.

Among friends, yeah, throw out the favorite prejudice and the "F" word, but this is a fairly high-profile political site. BTW, has any "weirdness" emanated from your state?

[Hayabusa]

28. Yes, I completely hate Florida because

I told a joke about a lot of weird news coming from it, a joke that's been told for well over a decade.

[NCTraveler]

33. derp

[truebluegreen]

3. What kind of Halloween decoration involves a fiery cross?

And why would anyone consider it a joke?



These are rhetorical questions.

[FSogol]

7. The racist kind.

[truebluegreen]

13. Yeah, I know.

[Orrex]

35. Probably reenacting a Madonna video.

[joeybee12]

5. So, I guess this means there is a God?

[RKP5637]

17. +1, n/t

[2naSalit]

25. Perhaps

Just self inflicted instant karma?

[Aristus]

6. Poetic justice is a bitch, asshole.

I hope he recovers and lives a long life. At the end of it, I want him to be able to say to himself: "Yeah, cross-burning for any reason is a really bad idea!..."

[ScreamingMeemie]

9. "was using gas to light a wooden cross as a joke..."

[Scuba]

18. 'Cause there's nothing funnier than a cross burning in the front yard.

[Connie_Corleone]

10. Welp!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. Getting drunk and burning a cross as "a joke" seems to me

to be a very bad idea. While I wouldn't wish that sort of injury on anyone, burning crosses (while drunk or sober) is not a joke. What an idiot.

[Blue Owl]

12. One wonders why his wife didn't use the white hood and sheet to put out the fire

n/t

[FSogol]

14. Lucky for him, she didn't use lighter fluid.

[Xipe Totec]

15. Exercising his constitutional right to be fatally stupid. nt

[FarCenter]

19. Drunk huh? Should have used the propane cross.

[dballance]

20. Since when is a burning cross a "joke?"

Except in central and northern FL which is all really S. GA or E. AL really.

[dixiegrrrrl]

31. This guy is from Central Fla.

Palm Bay is about 70 miles below Orland, on the Atlantic side of the beach.

I will admit that N.Fla. is very very different, tho...I worked there, many moons ago.

[dballance]

36. I lived in Miami for years. Pretty much anything N of Palm Beach is S. GA or E. AL

Backwards and redneck as much as any Southern state.

[Shrike47]

21. What could be funnier than a burning cross?

Long live Florida man!

[TheCowsCameHome]

22. His neighbors said he wasn't very bright.

He got the last laugh on those yokels, though.

[lonestarnot]

26. No. Is that what they said.

Snort.

[nolabear]

23. HellO Darwin.

Although, he's 50, so that ship might have sailed. Well, evolution's a funny thing. Maybe the kids will learn something about karma and being stupid.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

27. Florida. Racism. Alcohol.

A deadly combination.

[Zorra]

29. That's just so dar. nt

[Historic NY]

30. Karma....

its usually served cold. I guess no one told him alcohol with a gas chaser doesn't mix.

[onethatcares]

34. a firm reminder that

the stupid burns.