Canwest News Service

SURREY, B.C. - A father of two young children burned to death on his neighbour's front lawn Wednesday as horrified bystanders tried to put out the flames.

April Gracey and Krista Gris were out walking their dog when they smelled burning plastic. They quickly spotted an Indo-Canadian man running across the street while on fire.

They grabbed a blanket from a neighbour to try to smother the fire, but it was too late. The man had died.

Gracey said she and her friend were treated by an ambulance crew.

"How could you not be traumatized?" she said.

Police do not suspect foul play and did not release the man's name. He had two daughters -- one two years old and the other two weeks old.