Man who set self on fire released from UW job in August

University of Washington students are being praised for trying to save the life of a 61-year-old man who doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire Thursday in Red Square.

Despite the efforts of more than a half-dozen students who initially tried to beat down the flames with their clothes and later used fire extinguishers, the man — a former UW employee — died Thursday afternoon at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

"It really is phenomenal how people tried to help him out," said Ralph Robinson, an assistant UW Police Chief. "It says a lot about the caring community of the entire university. People reacted almost instantaneously, even though there was some danger to themselves."

Some new details about the man emerged Friday, although authorities have not released his name pending notification of his next of kin.

The man had worked for UW Facilities Services for some time, said UW spokesman Norm Arkans. His employment ended in late August, Arkans said, following a process to release him.

"At the very end, he had stopped coming to work, so a process was initiated to separate him from the university," Arkans said.

Arkans declined to elaborate on what circumstances caused the man to stop showing up for work. He said more details would become available after the King County Medical Examiner's Office released the man's name.

UW President Mark Emmert sent out an e-mail message Friday offering counseling and support to faculty and students.

"An event like this affects all of us," he wrote. "Many who were there may find it hard to erase the images of it from their minds. Others may find it hard to imagine what would drive someone to take his life in such a way. It is a time to reflect and to mourn, and I hope you will do so with one another and your loved ones."

Arkans said several dozen students had sought campus counseling, while others have spoken with friends and resident advisers.

On campus Friday, the center of Red Square remained cordoned off with crime tape and traffic barriers. A bouquet of flowers lay near the taped-off area. Students, some wearing Halloween costumes, walked by. A few stopped to look at the scene and reflect.

The violent and public nature of the death "kinda shook everyone up," said junior Chris Garrido. "You see a lot of people hurting themselves or others for a cause. But no one knew why he did it."

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com; Will Mari: 206-464-2745 or wmari@seattletimes.com