A horrifying incident at the Shell gas station on the Cranbrook strip Friday, when a young man lit himself on fire, is being treated as a private matter by Cranbrook RCMP.

“There was an incident involving a young male (18-years-old) a the local Shell station. It was a mental health issue and our MHA Liaison will be following up,” said Cranbrook RCMP Detachment Commander S/Sgt. Hector Lee.

However, that is all the public information S/Sgt. Lee said he is prepared to provide.

“I’ve decided not to do any kind of release on this matter out of respect for the party involved as well as his family. He is a local community member and I don’t think his family members need to repeatedly hear or read about this,” he explained.

According to a report in Okanagan-based online news agency Castanet, a fast-acting customer smothered the flames by wrapping the man’s head with his jacket while Shell station owner Mark Kim raced to retrieve a fire extinguisher.

The young man was rushed to East Kootenay Regional Hospital for treatment.

e-KNOW

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