In Longwood, a fire that injured a man last night has led to an ongoing arson investigation, according to authorities. Police responded to the incident that occurred around 7:30 p.m. near the Alta Longwood apartments on West Warren Avenue. As reported by WFTV, the man, whose clothes had caught ablaze, was taken to a hospital and was conscious at the time, but the full extent of his injuries is currently unknown.
The situation began when an unidentified male tried to start a fire in a wooded area, apparently to keep warm. Things quickly escalated when the fire grew and overcame him, forcing him to exit the woods line with his clothing on fire. A good Samaritan was able to quickly put out the burning clothes. The Longwood Police Department indicated in a statement obtained by ClickOrlando that "the fire was originally contained within a small area in an effort for the male victim to seek warmth and quickly grew larger, which overcame the male victim."
After the fire was reported, Longwood police officers, alongside paramedics, rendered aid to the victim at the scene. Firefighters worked to extinguish the remaining flames in the woods. In spite of the fire's proximity to residential areas, no buildings were damaged, and there were no service interruptions. The victim's condition was last reported to be stable, as he received treatment in the hospital.
