Veteran sets himself on fire outside VA clinic

CHASING NEWS (MY9NJ) - On March 19, Charles Ingram III drove from his home in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey to the Veterans Affairs  facility in Northfield, where he had previously sought medical treatment. Police said the Navy veteran then doused himself with gallons of gasoline and lit himself on fire.

Dashcam video from a police car captured the frantic rush to put out the fire on Ingram's body.  He was then raced to a hospital. Ingram suffered burns on 100% of his body.  He died in a Temple University Hospital burn unit nine hours later. He was 51. His obituary said he served in the Navy from 1985 to 1992.

Ingram's wife said that he had recently lost his job and they were in the process of getting divorced.

She said that Ingram had said he was not happy with the care he had been receving at the VA. The facility where he set himself on fire was closed because it is only open Monday through Friday and it was Saturday when Ingram showed up.  The local police say there have been calls to extend the hours of that facility to include weekend hours.

A small tribute of flowers and American flags now sits on the spot where the grass was burned away.