FIREFIGHTERS in Chonburi province managed to rescue a depressed German man who he locked himself in his house after being persuaded to let his 14-year-old daughter leave and then set it on fire and while it was ablaze used a knife to stab himself in the stomach and throat on the balcony, Siam Rath newspaper said this afternoon (Sept. 9).
At 1 p.m. today Pol. Col. Suchart Dusdee, head of Bang Lamung police station, said before the incident Ms. Gina, the 14-year-old daughter of Mr. Benhard Hemker, 68, sent a message by Line to her class teacher that her father was depressed and the teacher in turn alerted them.
When the police team got there they managed to persuade Hemker to let Gina come out to her mother.
He then told police he wanted to go back inside to change his clothes but instead locked the door and set the house on fire.
He then came on the balcony with a knife in his hand which he swung back and forth. After that he stabbed himself in the belly and cut his throat.
With great difficulty firefighters managed to rescue the depressed German man as he still held the knife. They took the opportunity when he started choking to bring him out and rush him to the hospital.
It took the firefighters over an hour to put out the blaze with the house and everything in it damaged. Within they found a lot of paper, plastic material and bones giving off a foul smell.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Hemker being rushed to the hospital after being rescued.
Below and Home Page: Firefighters rescuing the injured German man and putting out the fire. Photos: Siam Rath
