A SHOCKING video shows the moment a bumbling arsonist accidentally sets himself alight after his firebomb attack on an Irish pizza restaurant.
The unidentified man launched a terrifying attack on Apache Pizza in Dublin at 1am on Sunday morning that saw him hurl petrol bombs through the restaurant’s door.
Whilst his bombs forced staff to flee from the store, the thug also inadvertently set his own clothes ablaze, before turning to a brave passerby who he proceeded to attack and grapple with.
The man’s attack was captured on CCTV cameras at various angles, showing him casually walking along the street before pausing outside Apache Pizza.
He nonchalantly peeps his head around the door whilst setting his bombs alight and launching one through the door and into the restaurant.
However, the man mistakenly catches himself on fire in the process after bizarrely putting the bomb – now flaming – into his jacket pocket.
Undeterred, the man then turns away from the store to pull the burning missile out of his pocket before turning back around and launching it into the store again.
With his clothes now visibly ablaze, the firestarter then spots a pedestrian nearby who he proceeds to launch an apparently unprovoked attack on.
He runs at them, startling the anonymous passerby, who falls to the ground as the perpetrator attempts to physically assault them.
The pair’s feet can then see in the distance of the security camera as they grapple each other before they disappear entirely from focus as a member of staff comes outside to observe the two.
Video from inside the shop shows the missile being launched into the restaurant’s order counter and kitchen behind it, instantly bursting into flames and engulfing the store.
The fire breaks out as staff are idly working behind the counter, shocking several staff members to funnel out of the back entrance whilst one worker walks out the front in search of the arsonist.
The video was shared to social media yesterday with the caption: “Man throws at least two homemade petrol bombs into Apache pizza in Drumcondra, Dublin when people are working behind the counter.
‘This happened on Sunday evening. There’s also a video of the culprit doing it doing the rounds.
“Don’t think the fire spread and not aware of any injuries (thankfully) although I think the culprit tried to attack a random passerby on the street.”
The post has since been liked by over 450 people and has received dozens of comments from users left sickened by the crook’s horrific attack.
One user wrote: “I think he just had then in his hoodie pocket and took the second out before throwing it. He didn’t realise he was on fire till after throwing the second. The guy is a clown.”
Another commented: “How terrifying for the workers, I feel so bad for them.”
A third said: “They’re actually lovely staff working there as well.”
Another replied: “This actually happened on Saturday night/Sunday morning. I live very close and got out of a taxi right next to there when the staff were leaving the shop via the Garda cordon.
“I’ve been wondering what went down since.”
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána – Ireland’s national police service – said today: “A male in his 50s was arrested at the scene and detained at a garda station in Dublin.”
“He has since been charged and appeared before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday morning, July 10, 2023.
“As the matter is now before the courts, An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time.”
