Four Don'ts of Halloween decorating:
1. Don't decorate your home with a burning cross, even if it's a "prank." 2. Use something other than gasoline as fuel. 3. Use something other than candles to set the thing on fire. 4. Really, just stop at number one and call it a day.
A Palm Bay man was putting together a Halloween decoration with a wooden cross when he accidentally set himself on fire.
The man, who police say suffered second-degree burns, was apparently planning to set the cross on fire with gasoline and candles when things went bad.
The accident went down on Tuesday evening in the 1300 block of Wacker Avenue SE in Palm Bay.
That's where cops say Ron Nielson, 50, set himself on fire after trying to put together the Halloween display that supposedly was going to include a burning cross.
Police say it was supposed to be a prank. So there's that.
Nielson was working on the display while with his wife by the side of the house. But he was in an area that wasn't properly ventilated.
When Nielson grabbed the gasoline and candles, his clothes caught on fire.
He was airlifted to an Orlando hospital with second-degree burns. The report says his condition is unknown.
"We don't know if he was trying to light the cross or the candles, but when he did, his clothes caught fire," Palm Bay police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez said.
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