Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Detainee in Australia’s Manus camp tries to set self on fire

Posted at 02:55 on 21 February, 2013 UTC

A detainee at the Australian-run detention centre in Papua New Guinea has reportedly threatened to set himself on fire.

An MP from Manus Island, Ronnie Knight, says a male asylum seeker doused himself with what he believed was petrol, from a small can, and tried to set himself on fire.

The Australian Department of Immigration and the security firm G4S are investigating the incident, which happened a week ago.

Some media in PNG say the liquid was not fuel but they say the man did threaten to burn himself.

The legality of the temporary facility on Manus Island is set to be tested in the PNG Supreme Court in the coming weeks.