KS Hospital Worker Arrested for Setting Supervisor on Fire

A Fort Leavenworth hospital worker has been charged with trying to kill his supervisor by dousing her with gasoline and setting her on fire.

Clifford Currie, 54, is charged in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., with assault with the intent to commit murder.

The woman was also slashed with a razor during the incident. The extent of her injuries was not known Friday, but according to court documents, she suffered “substantial” burns to the upper part of her body.

The incident occurred late Wednesday afternoon at the Munson Army Health Center at Fort Leavenworth, where Currie and the victim worked.

A woman who worked in an office next to the victim’s office reported hearing a scream and seeing the victim in fire from the chest up.

That woman rushed to the victim and attempted to put out the fire, and told investigators that Currie had a bladed weapon in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other.

She said Currie put his foot on the victim’s neck and tried to stab her. The woman grabbed Currie’s leg and he fell to the ground.

That woman then fought to keep Currie away from the victim as other hospital employees converged to help.

Two men subdued Currie while a doctor and other employees tended to the victim.

Several employees said that the victim had previous difficulties in supervising Currie and had asked for others to be present whenever she spoke with him.

During the incident, the victim yelled, “I told you this would happen,” according to the court documents.

Another witness said that when an emergency responder yelled that the victim may have suffered chemical burns, Currie yelled, “It’s gasoline you idiot.”

When military police arrested Currie they found a box of matches in his pocket, according to the documents.

Currie made his initial court appearance Thursday and was ordered detained pending a court appearance on Monday to determine if he will be held without bond while the case is pending.

According to Currie’s Facebook page, he had worked at the facility since April 2015 as a coordinator for an Army program that provides services and support for military families with a family member who has special needs.

Tony Rizzo: 816-234-4435, @trizzkc

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