Man’s pant leg lit on fire in unprovoked stranger attack at Vancouver park: police

Vancouver police are investigating an incident where a man's pants were set on fire by a stranger in a city park. The attack occurred early Wednesday morning when a lone victim was sitting on a park bench near Beach Avenue and Davie Street. The suspect approached the victim without warning and threw a liquid accelerant onto the man's pant leg, which he then lit on fire before fleeing the scene.

The victim managed to extinguish the flames without sustaining any injuries. Police have no evidence that any threats were made or any communication took place between the victim and the attacker prior to the attack. They are urgently seeking witnesses to come forward due to the "completely unprovoked" and "random" nature of the incident. This report by The Canadian Press was initially published on October 7, 2026.