Police: St. Paul Fire Victim Committed Suicide
ST. PAUL, MInn. (AP) -- St. Paul investigators say a 34-year-old fire victim apparently committed suicide.
The St. Paul Fire Department says the man doused himself and his North End apartment with gasoline before he set a fire Saturday.
An autopsy report from the Ramsey County medical examiner's office says Mustafe Yussuf Balayah died of smoke inhalation and burns in a probable suicide.
Fire crews were called to a basement apartment about 12:15 a.m. Saturday and discovered a small fire in a bedroom. Fire Marshal Steve Zaccard says a gas can was in the bedroom with.
Balayah and he was in the bed.
Balayah was brought to Regions Hospital, where he died about 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the fire was confined to Balayah's apartment in the 24-unit building.
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