Man trying to stay warm under Atlanta bridge dies after setting himself on fire

An unhoused man who reportedly lived under a bridge in southwest Atlanta died Saturday night after accidentally lighting himself on fire amid freezing temperatures, officials said.

Crews responded around 9:15 p.m. to the I-75 southbound ramp near South Central Avenue after getting calls about a man who was on fire, Atlanta fire spokeswoman Alyssa Richardson said.

“On arrival, firefighters found a Hapeville Police Officer, a bystander, and one male victim with severe burns and no signs of life,” she said.

At the scene, located near Hapeville and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, emergency personnel pronounced the man dead. He remained unidentified as of late Sunday afternoon, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Channel 2 Action News reported that the man lived underneath a bridge in the area and was trying to light a fire but accidentally set himself ablaze. On Sunday, a police spokesperson said they were unable to confirm that information at this time.

Temperatures reached the single digits Saturday evening in Atlanta due to the wind chill, according to the National Weather Service. Several warming centers throughout the area were open over the weekend as the bitterly cold conditions lingered from another round of arctic air.

A joint death investigation is being conducted by Atlanta Police Department and Atlanta fire. “All circumstances involving last night’s fire death are under investigation,” Richardson said.

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