A Lebanese refugee who was unhappy with his accommodation in the German city of Essen, tried to set himself on fire on Monday, the regional German newspaper WAZ reported.

The incident occurred in a refugee camp in the city's Karnap district, and alarmed police, the newspaper reported.

The 33-year-old refugee poured a kind of liquid on himself, after which he tried to reach for a cigarette lighter. It was at this time that the head of the facility could stop him.

It was found by officials that the refugee was dissatisfied with his life in Germany, and wanted to go back to his homeland. ;

Following the incident, the police took the refugee and his five year-old son to the police station. The child was then taken temporarily into the custody of the Youth Welfare Office, to prevent further risks.

Refugees, who want to go back to their homeland, can do so in Germany, but they have to wait for a while for the necessary exit papers and flight tickets to be ready. And, with Monday's action, the refugee probably gave a message that he was running out of patience, the reports said.

Previously, the refugee had reportedly demanded an apartment, a job and a nursery place for his son, which however, turned out to not be the case.

The police later said that the refugee could not have burned himself, since the liquid he used was inflammable. The material he poured on himself was a kind of disinfectant, the police reportedly said. The refugee has been put in a psychiatric ward, and an investigation has been launched against him, the reports said further.