A laid-off worker from Gong'an County, central China's Hubei Province set fire to himself at the Tian'anmen Square Wednesday morning, police said.

Yang Peiquan, 49, set fire to himself at about 7:45 a.m. at the square's southeast corner, police said.

The fire was immediately put out by the patrolling police in the square and Yang suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized, they said.

The motive of Yang is under investigation by police.

Another man was with Yang at the scene when the self-immolation occurred, police said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 1, 2003)