He was destined to be burned for the aveira of being Hogeh Es ha’Shem; He was he punished because he did so in public. Tosfos, on DH Hogeh, on this daf, say that Hogeh Es ha’Shem is to explicitly read the letters of Shem ha’Meyuchad like the letters of other words. So, while one can take their own life for the sake of avoiding transgressing mitzvos in time of persecution, it seems as if R’ Chanina’s death was bound to occur since he was Hogeh Es HaShem b’farhesya. The Roman executioner removed the sponges that artificially prolonged his life, and he too jumped into the fire, with the Yalkut Shimoni holding that both were given a place in olam haba. The Roman was rewarded for showing him mercy at the end by lessening the torture; R’ Chanina was given reward for choosing death over a transgression.
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