A North Carolina man died after he accidentally drank from a jar of gasoline then smoked a cigarette, police said.

Havelock police received a 911 call about 9:55 p.m. Monday after 43-year-old Gary Allen Banning set himself on fire. Banning was transported to UNC Burn Center in Chapel Hill, where he died early Tuesday morning.

City spokeswoman Diane Miller said investigators believe Banning was at a friend's apartment when he apparently mistook a jar of gasoline sitting by the kitchen sink for a beverage. After taking a gulp, he spit the gas out and got some on his clothes.

Sometime later, investigators say Banning went outside to smoke a cigarette and burst into flame.

Havelock police and the city fire marshal are continuing their investigation.

Investigators believe Banning was at a friend's apartment when he apparently mistook a jar of gasoline sitting by the kitchen sink for a beverage. After taking a gulp, he spit the gas out and got some on his clothes.

lolwut?

I mean honestly. I probably wouldn't think about how smoking a cig later would kill me.

...Second, you might mistake it for a drink, but wouldn't you notice the taste of gasoline? I'm going to assume the guy was drunk as hell to make a mistake like that and not notice.

It said he took took a gulp then spat it out. It's not like he drank the whole thing.

Alright, rephrase...

Second, you might mistake it for a drink, but wouldn't you notice the smell and then taste of gasoline? How could you take a gulp in the first place? Why would you?

Unfortunate, at first you think it's kind of funny, but then you realize it wasn't him being an idiot it was actually a mistake.

Have you ever seen what gasoline looks like? It would look like a jar of urine, rather than a "beverage". Not to mention the smell... an open jar of gasoline would stink up the entire kitchen people! Wow, some people!