A Civil Guard agent performed a life-saving act on Tuesday afternoon, September 13, in the municipality of Gáldar, Gran Canaria, when a man attempted to take his own life by setting himself on fire. The officer sustained burn injuries while trying to extinguish the flames, which consumed about 40 percent of the victim’s body. The injured person was rushed to hospital in serious condition for urgent care and stabilization.
The incident unfolded within minutes on the highway, where a person appeared to have spilled fuel and triggered a dangerous fire on GC-202. From the Santa María de Guía Civil Guard post, multiple patrols converged on the scene. One agent moved quickly to douse the flames in an effort to halt the progress of the blaze and reduce the harm to the individual involved, while colleagues provided scene support and secured the area for medical teams.
Emergency services responded en masse, with a large number of ambulances arriving to assist. According to the Canary Emergency Service, there was an indication that the victim, nearly 35 years old, faced life-threatening injuries and was transferred to Doctor Negrín University Hospital for advanced burn care. There was consideration of stabilization procedures requiring potential transfer to a burns unit on the peninsula in the hours ahead, as noted by sources familiar with the case.
Witnesses described the civilian ranger’s quick evacuation of the man to a health center for initial and secondary burn treatment. The same sources indicated that the intervention of the officer who confronted the self-immolation played a decisive role in the person’s survival prospects, underscoring the challenging nature of the scene and the critical timing of the medical response, as reported by responders on the ground.