EAST GARFIELD PARK — A 43-year-old woman was hospitalized after setting herself on fire on Tuesday in the West Side office of U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), Davis and police said.
At 3:15 p.m., the woman walked into the office, 2746 W. Madison St. through an ajar door and "after a brief discussion with staff" she picked up a bottle of hand sanitizer, according to Ira Cohen, a spokesman for Davis.
The woman began drinking from the bottle, Cohen said, then poured it over herself and ignited a fire using a lighter she had with her.
Staff reached for a fire extinguisher, but the woman "ran out the door while still on fire," he added.
The woman was brought to Stroger Hospital, where she was treated for severe burns, according to Officer Michelle Tannehill, a Chicago Police spokeswoman, and local media reports.
Police could not provide her condition but said she was stable.
A spokesperson for Davis said the woman appeared to have been homeless.
In a written statement late Tuesday, the congressman used the incident to draw attention to the lack of mental health services on the West Side.
“Every day we see the effects of the often extreme daily hardships endured by residents of our community," Davis said, according to the statement. "Coupled with a severe shortage of mental health services we have seen, that the outcome can be tragic. We hope and pray for this woman’s speedy and complete recovery.”
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