People at the Wendy’s in Highland Park heard screams, then saw a man come out of a restroom on fire last Friday.
They immediately called 911 and tried to help the man.
The man had burns over more than 50% of his body and died after firefighters arrived.
When this first happened, some wondered if the man purposely hurt himself. Investigators say now that they have learned more, it doesn’t appear so.
Investigators say they believe he was smoking in the bathroom alone while cleaning himself with alcohol swabs and accidentally set himself on fire.
Sources say the man was homeless, and had on layers of clothes that fueled the flames.
The Medical Examiner’s office is not yet releasing his name, as he has not been officially identified by family.
