Teh One Who Knocks
02-29-2012, 11:56 AM
Ken Buday - Freedom ENC
A Havelock man who accidentally set himself on fire died Tuesday morning in the hospital.
Gary Allen Banning, 43, died at 5:53 a.m. Tuesday at the UNC Burn Center in Chapel Hill after the incident Monday night, according to Havelock police.
A series of different events Monday led to Banning’s death. Earlier in the day, Banning accidentally drank from a jar that contained gasoline and spit it out, getting it on his clothes, according to Havelock police. He did not change his clothes, and later in the evening went to light a cigarette, catching his clothes and himself on fire.
“It was just a freak incident,” said W.K. Preslar, investigator with the Havelock Police Department.
Preslar explained that a resident of the apartment is a mechanic and uses gasoline to help clean the grease from his hands. He said Banning accidentally drank the gasoline that was stored in a salsa jar near a kitchen sink.
The incident took place in apartment B-9 at 200 Roosevelt Blvd. Police and fire crews were called to the scene at 9:55 p.m. Monday. Banning was transported to CarolinaEast Medical Center in New Bern and later to the UNC Burn Center with what police described as severe burns to his body.
Preslar said the apartment in which the incident took place had minor damage and did not catch on fire.
“It was charred as far as the carpet where he was standing,” Preslar said. “But as far as the structure itself, there was no damage.”
He said no foul play is suspected, but police are still investigating pending toxicology results of Banning’s blood.
A Havelock man who accidentally set himself on fire died Tuesday morning in the hospital.
Gary Allen Banning, 43, died at 5:53 a.m. Tuesday at the UNC Burn Center in Chapel Hill after the incident Monday night, according to Havelock police.
A series of different events Monday led to Banning’s death. Earlier in the day, Banning accidentally drank from a jar that contained gasoline and spit it out, getting it on his clothes, according to Havelock police. He did not change his clothes, and later in the evening went to light a cigarette, catching his clothes and himself on fire.
“It was just a freak incident,” said W.K. Preslar, investigator with the Havelock Police Department.
Preslar explained that a resident of the apartment is a mechanic and uses gasoline to help clean the grease from his hands. He said Banning accidentally drank the gasoline that was stored in a salsa jar near a kitchen sink.
The incident took place in apartment B-9 at 200 Roosevelt Blvd. Police and fire crews were called to the scene at 9:55 p.m. Monday. Banning was transported to CarolinaEast Medical Center in New Bern and later to the UNC Burn Center with what police described as severe burns to his body.
Preslar said the apartment in which the incident took place had minor damage and did not catch on fire.
“It was charred as far as the carpet where he was standing,” Preslar said. “But as far as the structure itself, there was no damage.”
He said no foul play is suspected, but police are still investigating pending toxicology results of Banning’s blood.