ALBUQUERQUE, NM – A man in Albuquerque, New Mexico, made an arson attempt that quickly escalated into self-inflicted harm. A neighbor’s surveillance camera revealed that Artemio Sanchez-Ortega, 46, set himself on fire as he tried to set his former girlfriend’s house ablaze. The authorities are currently searching for Sanchez-Ortega, who has remained elusive since May 24, the night of the incident.
The surveillance video displayed Sanchez-Ortega sauntering down a quiet street carrying a red gas can. He effortlessly jumped the front of his ex-girlfriend’s home, where he planned to start the fire. But his plan took an unexpected turn when he was engulfed by the flames he was trying to initiate.
Despite the alarming scene, he managed to get back up and run down the street, his body still aflame.
Sanchez-Ortega’s former girlfriend and her children, who were inside the house during the event, were unscathed. The complaint against Sanchez-Ortega notes that he had called his ex-girlfriend three times prior to the incident, during which she could ascertain that he had been drinking. The fire, though it looked severe, only caused damage to parked vehicles.
Daniel Provine handed over the surveillance footage to police to assist with their ongoing investigation. “I feel terrible for the neighbors, wanted to do whatever I could to help,” he said.