Man, 87, dies on bike after clothes burst in flames
Friday, March 13th 2009, 2:46 AM
An 87-year-old died when his clothes burst into flames while he was riding his bicycle on Long Island Thursday.
Joseph Rusin was likely smoking a cigarette before he became engulfed in flames while cycling down Burkhardt Ave. in Bethpage, officials said.
A passing motorist saw Rusin rolling on the ground and used a fire extinguisher to douse the flames. Nassau County Detective Sgt. Les Meister said the fire was not suspicious. County Fire Marshal spokesman Vincent McManus said it’s likely that the cigarette ignited Rusin’s nylon jacket.