‘Person of interest’ in custody after woman is set on fire on Chicago train

CHICAGO (TCN) -- A man is in custody after allegedly dousing a woman with liquid and setting her on fire on a Chicago train.

On Nov. 17 at around 9:25 p.m., a 26-year-old woman was riding a CTA Blue Line train when she and a 45-year-old man got into an argument that became physical, NBC Chicago reports. The man allegedly poured liquid onto the woman and set her on fire, then fled when the train stopped, police said. The woman exited the train and collapsed on the platform.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports bystanders helped put out the flames.

The woman was no longer on fire when firefighters arrived, according to CBS News. Footage obtained by the outlet shows significant burns on her head. She was taken to a hospital, where she remains in critical condition.

The Blue Line trains remained shut down until about 1:30 a.m. while police searched for the alleged attacker, according to NBC Chicago.

Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly said, “I think having an intermittent police presence of train cars would deter this kind of behavior,” WCIA reports. 

Police said a person of interest is now in custody but has not been charged, according to CBS News. They said he might be connected to a fire set outside of Chicago’s City Hall last week and that an arson investigation is ongoing.

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