Three quick-thinking bystanders stepped in after a man set himself on fire Thursday afternoon in Elmira’s Wisner Park, according to WETM. One witness initially mistook the flames for a flowerbed fire—until she saw the man collapse.
As emergency crews were en route, the bystanders used whatever was on hand—including Mountain Dew and chocolate milk—to douse the flames. While some people recorded the incident on their phones, the helpers called out for assistance and urged others to take action.
Those who intervened called for more community compassion, saying no one should feel so isolated that self-harm seems like the only option.
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