The Sydney Man Who Caught Fire After Being Tasered by Police Has Died in Hospital

A Sydney man who sustained minor burns last week when police Tasers ignited petrol on his clothes has died in hospital.

Reportedly known around his neighbourhood as "Bear," the man was tasered by police after an argument over an unpaid electricity bill escalated outside his home in the Sydney suburb of Riverstone.

The 51-year-old man had been attempting to cut down a power pole with a chainsaw when the police intervened; it is believed he was angry over a conflict with an energy provider who had cut off his power.

When confronted by police, Bear flung petrol at the surrounding officers, managing to douse himself in the process. Then when police attempted to subdue him using a Taser, his clothes caught fire.

The NSW Coroner's office has not yet released its report on the cause of Bear's death, and whether or not it was linked to the injuries he sustained after being Tasered while covered in petrol. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Bear's death may have been linked to a heart attack.

Tasers are acknowledged by manufacturers to pose a risk of ignition if the Taser is fired at someone with a flammable solvent on their clothing. Police maintain they tried to restrain Bear with capsicum spray first.

Manufactured by Taser International, Tasers are electro-shock weapons that work to incapacitate by delivering a 50,000 volt current. Originally designed to as an alternative to firearms, they are standard issue for most Australian police officers, and are classified in the same "less-than-lethal" category as capsicum spray. Tasers are often preferable to capsicum spray because the risk of secondary exposure is lessened.

This is not the first time that an alleged criminal has been injured by a Taser igniting flammable liquids in Australia. 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 NSW police officer guidelines were amended to advise against firing Tasers near flammable liquids.

As per section 8.2 of the NSW Taser Use Restrictions, "A Taser should not be used in any mode…near explosive materials, flammable liquids or gasses due to the possibility of ignition."

NSW Police have told VICE they are unable to comment on matters of NSW police officer Taser training.

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