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Crime Insider Sources: Petersburg man was doused in accelerant, set on fire during domestic dispute

Posted at 5:11 AM, Mar 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-12 09:35:00-04

PETERSBURG, Va. - Firefighters are investigating a suspicious house fire that burned a home in Petersburg Monday morning.

When crews arrived to the home on Hampton Road after 1:30 a.m. they found two people who'd suffered severe burns outside of the house.

A Petersburg man was flown to VCU Medical Center's burn unit with burns to 95 percent of his body, Crime Insider sources said.

Those sources added he was doused with an accelerant during a domestic dispute and set on fire.

The woman who allegedly set him on fire also suffered burns to about 60 percent of her body.

Both people, a man and a woman in their 50s, were taken to the hospital and were last listed in critical condition.

"It’s being investigated as suspicious due to the severity of the burns," Battalion Chief Mike Ferguson said. "The fire was fairly small in nature. It’s what we call a room and contents. Structure wise, there’s not a lot of fire damage to the structure."

Fire crews were initially concerned a child may have been inside the home and unable to escape. Firefighters said they searched the house four times and there was no child inside.

This is a developing story. Witnesses can send news tips, photos, and video here.

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