A man who died after setting himself on fire outside Kensington Palace was an award-winning nurse who had been sacked, it has been revealed.
Amin Abdullah was fired from his job at Charing Cross hospital just before Christmas. It is understood the 41-year-old, from Notting Hill, had depression and was suicidal after losing his job as a junior nurse. He was admitted to St Charles hospital in west London for treatment but did not return after an outing.
Two days before a hearing into his sacking, he doused himself in petrol outside the London home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and set himself alight.
Emergency services were called to the scene in the early hours of 9 February and tried to save him by extinguishing the flames.
Adbullah’s partner of 12 years, Terry Skitmore, has criticised Imperial College healthcare NHS trust for dismissing him.
Skitmore said Abdullah had an “exemplary background” and had never been disciplined, winning an award for excellence when he graduated from Buckinghamshire New University.
Skitmore told the London Evening Standard: “Amin was sacked because he tried to stick up for a colleague. Had he just signed the petition, he wouldn’t have been sacked and he’d still be alive today.”
It is understood Abdullah was one of 17 people to sign a petition in support of a colleague after a patient complained. He reportedly also wrote a letter criticising the patient, and an email of the same nature to another member of staff, which was then seen by hospital chiefs.
Following a formal hearing on 21 December, Abdullah was dismissed for gross misconduct. William Gage, deputy divisional director of nursing at the trust, acknowledged that his conduct was a “foolish mistake” but upheld the dismissal.
Skitmore has said the news of Abdullah’s death “crucified” him and that he now has to live with the “horrendous” way he died for the rest of his life.
Skitmore said: “He was very shy and kind. He was just a nice human being – that’s why he was into that profession. He lived for that job. He was so proud of his position, having grown up in an orphanage.”
He added: “I feel like my life has been destroyed. There are no words to describe my emotions. My brain is absolutely everywhere.”
A spokeswoman for the trust said: “We are saddened to hear of Mr Abdullah’s death and would like to offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time. The trust will engage fully with any investigations into Mr Abdullah’s death.”
Central and North West London NHS foundation trust, which runs St Charles hospital, said it will “get to the bottom of what happened” and take any necessary action.