A VANDAL has been filmed accidentally setting himself alight while trying to start a car fire.
Footage shows the man holding a cigarette lighter and a jerry can approaching a vehicle on a residential street in the early hours of Friday morning.
Donning a hoodie and gloves, the unidentified man appears to pour liquid from a jerry can onto the rear window of a stationary car.
As the alarm sounds, the man seems unperturbed and reaches for a lighter.
Within seconds, the vehicle appears to burst into flames.
As the man steps back from the glowing fire, his clothes are alight.
Leaving the sirens and ongoing blaze, the crook can be seen moving quickly as he attempts to extinguish himself.
He momentarily runs off screen before returning to hop onto a push bike to make his getaway.
The wreckage continues to burn scarily close to other vehicles on either side.
Locals were likely asleep just metres from the fire, which was in front of residential properties.
According to the timestamp on the video, the incident took place at around 1.40am on February 14.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Car bursts into flames on busy motorway” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6368879202112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]The clip has been posted on social media with the caption: “Man sets someone’s car on fire with a jerry can and lighter, almost setting himself on fire in the process (Walthamstow).”
It has already been viewed nearly 40k times and has been shared nearly 100 times.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade confirmed they had been called to reports of a car alight around the time stated.
They added: “Crews were called to reports of a car alight on Avondale Road in Walthamstow.
“Control Officers took the first of seven calls at 0142 (14/02/2025) and mobilised two fire engines from Leyton and Walthamstow fire stations to the scene.
“The incident was over for firefighters at 0154.”
The Metropolitan Police were approached for comment.
It comes after a Love Island star narrowly escaping death after his supercar burst into flames.
In an unrelated incident, Danny Bibby, 28, described how he was driving his McLaren 720S at 30mph.
The clothing brand owner and former plumber jumped out and tried to extinguish the flames himself, but said the luxury vehicle “exploded in his face”.
Danny – who was shaken but miraculously escaped without injury – told his social media followers that he had no choice but to step back and watch his “dream car burn to the ground”.
Ex-islander Danny, who is from Wigan, shocked fans as he recorded flames ripping through his four-week-old McLaren on the roadside.
He captioned the footage: “How’s your Monday?”
