A Sydney Man Tried to Cut Down a Power Line, Threw Petrol at Police, Then Got Tasered and Burst Into Flames

An argument over an unpaid electricity bill escalated wildly Tuesday when a man from the Sydney suburb of Riverstone doused himself and surrounding police in petrol, his clothes catching fire when officers attempted to subdue him with a taser.

The 51-year-old, reportedly known around the neighbourhood as "Bear," had been attempting to cut down a power pole with a chainsaw when the police intervened. It is believed he had been angered by a conflict with an energy provider who had cut off his electricity supply.

According to Sky News, local witnesses heard him declare at the scene that "If I can't have power, no one can."

The police had reportedly tried to restrain the man with capsicum spray before tasering him. It is believed the taser ignited petrol on his clothes.

After police extinguished the flames, Bear allegedly locked himself in his Regent Street home and refused to exit for over an hour. During the standoff, local schools were put into lockdown over fears for student safety.

The man was eventually arrested and taken to hospital, where his minor burns were treated. A senior police constable was also treated after having petrol splashed in his eyes.

To add another element to an already-bizarre suburban news story, since the arrest rangers have also been called to his property to remove eight rottweilers living there.

Both 'Bear' and the injured police constable are reported to be in stable condition.

Police officers on the scene might not have expected the combination of taser and petrol-soaked clothes to be so dangerous, but this isn't the first ever incident of someone catching fire after being tasered.

In fact, tasers are acknowledged by manufacturers to pose a risk of ignition if the taser is fired at a target that has flammable solvent on their clothing.

In September last year, a UK man who had doused himself in petrol died in hospital of severe burns after being tasered by police. In 2009, a 36-year-old Western Australian man burst into flames after being shot by a police taser while carrying petrol and a cigarette lighter. In 2010, another Western Australian man suffered burns to 20 percent of his body when tasered while holding fuel.

Following the 2009 incident, official Australian police officer guidelines advise against firing tasers near flammable liquids.

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