Two officers in Christchurch had to tackle a man who had doused himself in petrol and was threatening to set fire to himself after pepper spray failed to subdue him.
Police were called to a house in Winchester Street, in the suburb of Merivale, shortly before 8.20pm on Sunday after a woman called to say her son had threatened to burn the house down.
Inspector Derek Erasmus said when the officers arrived they saw a man splashing petrol inside the house and over himself. He said the man yelled that he wanted everyone to die as he held a lighter in his hand.
A man appeared in Christchurch District Court on Monday on charges including attempted arson, burglary and threatening to kill. He will reappear on Wednesday.