Parks Workers Tried To Save Woman Who Set Self On Fire Victim Used Gasoline, Road Flares In Suicide On Public Tennis Court

Spokane city parks workers tried their best to save a woman who set herself on fire on a public tennis court Thursday.

Using their jackets, the workers were unable to overcome the potent mixture of gasoline and road flares she used to set herself ablaze at Franklin Park, authorities said.

“She’d taken off all her clothes, put them in a neat little pile,” said Spokane Fire Lt. Ron Clinger. “She put some flares on the ground - seven - and dumped gas on herself and then went dancing through the fire.”

Police and the Spokane County coroner refused to identify the woman, who was dead when firefighters arrived shortly after 10 a.m. Her grandparents have been notified.

Three maintenance men working in the popular park ran to the woman and tried to put out the blaze with their coats. The flames were too powerful, destroying one man’s hooded sweat shirt, Clinger said.

Firefighters arrived to find the woman dead and the court, where gasoline spilled, still on fire.

“There were 17 steps she took after she lit herself,” said Clinger. “You could see the burn marks from her footsteps.”

Two gasoline cans were nearby.

Police and the coroner investigated and ruled the death a suicide, said police spokesman Dick Cottam.

Firefighters wonder if she was the same woman who tried to ignite herself outside a taco restaurant at Sharp and Ruby on May 2.

That woman doused herself with gasoline and threatened to use a lighter, said Spokane Fire Lt. Gene Peters.

Police tried to talk her out of it and called in firefighters as backup.

“We ended up using a couple of our hoses to wet her down,” said Peters. “One guy shot from the roof right down on her. I came around the corner and just soaked her.”

Carol Walsh, who lives less than a block from the Franklin Park tennis courts, said the park is bustling from the time school lets out until after dark.

Kids and adults play soccer, softball, horseshoes and tennis. Madison Elementary School is next door.

“It’s sad to think somebody had to destroy their life in such an awful way in such a public place,” she said.

“We wish we could find out who she is so we can pray for her.”

, DataTimes