Two dead as Russian sets himself on fire in court

Russian news agencies quoted officials as saying the man set himself ablaze just before the court was to hear his appeal on revoking his driver’s licence. Yelena Shchavelyova, police spokeswoman, said the fire spread, killing a judge’s assistant.

Police in Siberia say a man has died after setting himself on fire in a provincial courthouse, and a court official died after the blaze engulfed the building.

Police spokeswoman Yelena Shchavelyova told the AP that five other people were injured in Friday’s incident, which occurred in the town of Irbeiskoye, about 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) east of Moscow.

Russian news agencies quoted officials as saying the man set himself ablaze just before the court was to hear his appeal on revoking his driver’s license. Ms. Shchavelyova said the fire spread, killing a judge’s assistant.

Russia has a terrible fire safety record, with buildings rarely equipped with fire escapes or extinguishers.