A man in Spain was arrested this week for allegedly setting a cafe on fire after staff denied his request for mayonnaise on a sandwich, according to The Metro. The incident, which unfolded on Wednesday evening in the town of Los Palacios y Villafranca, located in the province of Seville, has been described as "something surreal" by the cafe's owner.
According to news reports and surveillance footage from the Las Postas Cafe-Bar, the man became enraged after being refused mayonnaise twice. He then left the establishment, returned with a bottle containing a litre and a half of petrol, and proceeded to douse the bar area with the flammable liquid. The video shows a fiery ball erupting moments after he lights the petrol, sending customers, including families with young children and the elderly, fleeing in a panic.
In the chaos, the man accidentally set his own left hand on fire as he fled the scene. The blaze caused an estimated 7,000 pounds (Rs 8 lakh) in damage to the cafe. The suspect was apprehended shortly after the incident.
This bizarre act of arson has captured public attention, highlighting the extraordinary and sometimes violent reactions to seemingly trivial disputes. The cafe owner, Jose Antonio Caballero, expressed his disbelief over the incident, which has left his business with significant damage and his community shaken.
He told the Spanish press: "First one waiter and then another the second time this gentleman asked for mayonnaise gave him the same answer, which was that the bar didn't have a kitchen and the sandwiches came ready-prepared and we didn't have sauces."
"At that moment he walked to the garage opposite, returned to the bar with a bottle in his hand which we discovered afterwards had petrol inside, and asked the first waiter, 'Are you sure there's no mayonnaise?' without giving him time to reply."
