Man suspected of setting wife on fire in Germany turns self in

A 46-year-old Georgian man who had been on the run after allegedly setting fire to his wife on a tram in Germany turned himself in on Monday, police said.

"The suspect turned himself in at the Gera police station shortly before 9:00 am (0800 GMT) and was arrested there without resistance," police in the eastern city said.

The man, who was not named, is accused of dousing his wife with a flammable liquid and setting fire to her inside a tram in Gera on Sunday, causing her life-threatening injuries.

"She was sprayed with flammable liquid and set alight by a man," police said after the attack, adding later that the suspect was believed to be the victim's husband.

The tram driver used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames but the woman, also 46, had already sustained life-threatening injuries and was taken by helicopter to hospital.

When other passengers pressed the emergency stop button, the perpetrator took advantage of the doors opening to flee.

Police had launched a search for the suspect on suspicion of attempted murder.

They said on Monday the investigation was ongoing and appealed for witnesses to contact them.

(AFP)