This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Warning: the video above shows a person on fire and has some explicit language.
Gilbert Estrada, 51, burned to death at a Halloween party in L.A., but police don't know how or why.
Estrada was attending the popular West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval last week when suddenly he was on fire, according to the Los Angeles Times. A YouTube video captured the incident and Estrada writhing around in the midst of a group of dancers.
Horrifically, some of the dancers appear to be cheering as Estrada burns, apparently unaware of what was really going on. Other people at the party put out the flames and Estrada was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died Friday morning.
Police don't know what happened to Estrada but they're studying the video to try figure it out. They say he was not suicidal and there is no indication he set himself on fire. The question, then, seems to be if the deadly fire was an accident or if it was set intentionally. Either way, the case has been handed over to L.A.'s homicide detectives.
— Jim Dalrymple II