Autistic teenager dies as tanning spray sets off fire

London, June 29 (IANS) An autistic teenager in Britain died of significant burns after catching fire by self-tanning spray during his birthday party, according to police.

Police are probing if the 18-year-old Steven Simpson's death was a murder or a drunken prank that went wrong, the Daily Mail reported.

The boy and his mother had moved to the area recently after he was bullied by local youths.

Simpson celebrated his birthday Friday and had thrown a party for friends at his home in Cudworth village, near Barnsley, south Yorkshire.

According to a neighbour, though the boy suffered from autism, he now felt "safe enough" to have college friends round to celebrate.

But emergency services had to be called in after the flammable solution somehow got onto Simpson's clothing and caught fire. He, however, died of his injuries the following evening at a hospital after suffering "significant burns".

Six people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, including three teenagers.

Meanwhile, a fire service investigation established the fire had been started deliberately.