Macau police continued today their investigation into an arson attack yesterday afternoon outside the front gate of a local middle school by a young man reportedly suffering from a mental disorder.
According to police and local Chinese-language media reports as well as video footage by passers-by, at about 4 p.m. yesterday the 21-year-old suspect wearing a safety helmet and holding a can suddenly splashed apparently flammable liquid at the front gate of the school, after which he ignited it.
According to the video footage circulating on social media, the arson resulted in a rather huge blaze that engulfed the gate and set some of the suspect's clothes alight, apparently injuring his hands and legs, after which he took off all his clothes except his red underpants. The attack triggered the private Xinhua School's fire alarm and a staff member who had witnessed the incident from inside the building immediately called the authorities.
Firemen quickly extinguished the fire, while the police arrested the man at the scene. He did not try to flee or resist arrest.
Witnesses told reporters they believed that the flames reached 10 metres in height.
The principal of the middle school told local media that about 630 teachers and students were on the campus at the time of the incident, stressing that none of them was injured.
The school is located on Rua Oito do Bairro Iao Hon in a densely population neighbourhood in the Macau peninsula's northern district near the Barrier Gate land border checkpoint.
A spokesperson for the Fire Services Bureau (CB) said that the bureau dispatched six fire engines and 29 firefighters to the scene. According to the spokesperson, the bureau received a call about the fire at 4:02 p.m. yesterday and managed to extinguish the fire at 4:05 p.m. with a fire extinguisher.
The suspect reportedly sustained second-degree burns on his left forearm, left calf and both hands. He was rushed to the public Conde de Sao Januario Hospital Centre for emergency treatment.
Police found traces of a thinner and some clothes at the scene. The Public Security Police (PSP) have meanwhile passed the case to the Judiciary Police (PJ) - Macau's criminal investigation department - for follow-up investigation.
According to police and media reports, the area affected by the blaze covered about 32 square metres. The blaze damaged the school gate, lighting equipment and decorations.
A total of 20 police officers were reportedly dispatched to the scene.
The suspect, who acted alone, is a local resident, police said.
According to media reports, he is a former student of the school who was recently disenrolled because of his mental condition.
