The police have requested an arrest warrant for a man in his 60s who set fire to a Seoul Subway Line 5 train.
On the 31st of last month, a fire caused by arson occurred inside a Seoul Subway Line 5 train, leading passengers to evacuate through the underground tunnel. The photo shows passengers evacuating due to the fire. Photo by Yonhap News
On June 1, the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul announced that it had applied to the prosecution for an arrest warrant for the arson suspect, Mr. A, on charges of arson causing injury to an operational train.
Mr. A is suspected of spraying a flammable substance and setting fire to clothing inside a train running through the tunnel section between Yeouinaru Station and Mapo Station at around 8:43 a.m. the previous day.
As a result of this fire, a total of 23 people, including Mr. A, sustained minor injuries such as smoke inhalation. 129 people received on-site medical treatment. In addition, one subway car was partially destroyed, and two subway cars suffered smoke damage, resulting in property damage estimated at approximately 330 million won.
The police urgently arrested Mr. A at Yeouinaru Station the previous morning. It was reported that police became suspicious when they noticed significant soot on Mr. A's hands as he was being carried out on a stretcher and questioned him, leading to his apprehension.
During police questioning, Mr. A is said to have stated that he committed the crime because he was dissatisfied with the outcome of his divorce lawsuit. It was determined that he did not intend to take his own life.
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