A man was seriously burned Thursday morning in Phoenix after plastic grocery bags filled with gasoline ignited, causing a vehicle fire, authorities said.
Officers responded to a call about a vehicle in flames near 35th and Glendale avenues around 8:15 a.m., the Phoenix Police Department said in a press release.
The fire department responded to put out the flames and treat the man, who was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, police said.
Officers spoke to the owner of the vehicle, who had minor burns. He initially said the vehicle had been stolen and was on fire when he and his friend tracked it down.
When investigators confronted the owner with inconsistencies in his story, he admitted he’d made it up, police said.
Detectives determined that three men were involved.