JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- A man who set himself on fire in front of a television camera crew to protest unemployment was hospitalized in serious condition Saturday.
Cecil Andrews, 37, of Jacksonville, doused himself with lighter fluid and struck a match at 11:20 p.m. on the public square in Jacksonville, in northeast Alabama.
He suffered burns over 50 percent of his body and was listed in serious condition Saturday at University of Alabama-Birmingham Hospital.
Phil Cox, WHMA news director, said a crew was sent to the square after the man made repeated calls to the station.
'The man sounded a bit irrational and despondent and after four calls to the station we felt we were dealing with a case that needed attention,' Cox said.
'I was under the impression that the situation was being handled as a police matter and the only reason we were there was to aid police in the case,' Cox said. 'Our people tried to delay or stall the man under the impression that authorities were to intervene.'
Jacksonville Police Chief Paul Locke said the station told police Andrews threatened to set himself afire because he was 'sick and tired of unemployment.'
'We hope our people were working with police to save a man's life,' WHMA station manager Harry Mabry said.
Locke said that when officers left the scene, after a futile 45-minute search for the man, a car marked with the WHMA logo arrived. The chief said Andrews approached the car and identified himself to the film crew, who tried to talk Andrews out of the act.
Cox said photographer Ron Simmons and Ray Weems, a part-time employee, attempted to put out the fire, but fire units arrived to finish the job.
Andrews was rushed to the regional medical center at Anniston, and later transferred to Birmingham.
Locke said the station gave police a copy of the videotape.
