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A shocking and tragic incident unfolded on a Chicago transit train Monday night when a 26-year-old woman was set ablaze during a heated argument. The terrifying event occurred just before 9:30 p.m. on the blue line of the Chicago Transit Authority, looping through downtown, according to reports from WBBM.
Authorities have taken a person of interest into custody, although no formal charges have been brought forth at this time. The suspect, described as approximately 45 years old, was allegedly involved in a confrontation with the woman as the train approached the Clark/Lake subway station.
Witnesses recounted the horrifying scene where the man doused the woman with a flammable liquid before igniting it, leading to a chaotic and terrifying moment on the train. The assailant immediately fled the scene, leaving the woman to escape the train while engulfed in flames, eventually collapsing on the platform.
The victim is currently in critical condition as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this brutal attack. The community and law enforcement are on high alert as they seek justice for the victim and ensure such a tragedy does not recur.
He ran from the scene while the woman also ran off the train, engulfed in flames, and collapsed.
Bystanders came to her aid, and the fire was extinguished by the time first responders arrived. She was taken to Stroger Hospital with severe burns to her head and face, WGN reported.
“This woman was saved by a number of good Samaritans on the train with her,” Alderman Brendan Reilly said.
Police said the man in custody may be connected to a fire outside City Hall last week, WBBM said.
No further information about the incident was released, but police told WMAQ the investigation “remains ongoing.”