A man was hospitalized with third-degree burns after being found engulfed in flames alongside a burning, stolen vehicle in Rancho Park Monday night, officials said.
Firefighters were called to the scene near the corner of Overland Avenue and Coventry Place around 8:30 p.m. and found the compact sedan parked and fully engulfed in flames, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in an alert.
The burning man was extinguished by neighbors before fire officials arrived, said Los Angeles police Officer Matthew Jones.
LAFD says they found the man on a nearby lawn in extremely critical condition with full-body burns. Fire crews were able quickly extinguish the vehicle fire.
The vehicle involved was reported stolen earlier this month, according to Jones.
Arson investigators were responding to ensure no further accelerants were on the vehicle and to “get a better idea of what he was doing at the time,” Jones said.
There were no other vehicles or homes damaged, and no evidence of a car crash, authorities said.
The burned man was being treated at an area trauma center Monday night, officials said.
The incident remains under investigation by LAPD and LAFD. No further details were available.