Man spits out 'alcohol' starts fire

A German man in the town of Gross Godems was being treated for serious burns after accidentally setting his apartment ablaze when he mistook a bottle of petrol for a bottle of alcohol, police said.

The 56-year-old apparently grabbed the wrong bottle and took a swig from the petrol flask, then spat it out when he realised his mistake. The gas hit a lit cigarette, sparking the fire.