On Saturday night in Hoboken, police received a call that a local homeless man was setting himself on fire. Police responded to Bloomfield and Fourth streets and saw the man on fire in the middle of the road, according to published reports.
According to NJ.com, “Lt. Mike DeTrizio and Sgt. Steven Aguiar–who were the first on the scene–shouted to the man to get on the ground to extinguish the fire, Ferrante said. The man remained standing, but began screaming as the fire started to spread from his jacket to his skin, he said. The officers pushed the man to the ground and helped him roll over to quickly put out the fire, he said.”
The man was transported to Hoboken University Medical Center and was not seriously injured.
The incident took place after the traditional day of partying that happens in Hoboken on the first Saturday of March, in advance of St. Patrick’s Day.
Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante said that incidents were down this year from past years, and released an unofficial number of 11 arrests for the day. A published report said that there were many more calls than last year.
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