An explosion on a train in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, has injured at least 24 people. A prime suspect has since been found.
The explosion went off on a train at Taipei’s Songshan station just before midnight and has been reported as the worst train blast Taipei has ever seen. The train was travelling from Taipei to Keelung in northern Taiwan, which is three hours away from the Taiwanese capital. The train had come from Hsinchu City.
The blast left some passengers very badly burned, with one man in critical condition.
Chinese language Apple Daily reports of a witness who said that a middle aged man entered the carriage and placed a small package on luggage rack, which was later believed to have been the cause of the explosion. Other witnesses heard a loud explosions before flames began to engulf the train’s carriage.
General Chen Kuo-en, the National Police Agency Director, said that the suspected explosive device was 15-20cm long and resembled a firecracker.
The BBC reports of a witness who described the events,
“There was a blast and the carriage went dark. People were panicking and screaming.”
Taiwan News reported that a 55 year old man has since become a prime suspect. Identified by the police as Lin Ying-Chang, the man has become the prime suspect after his fingerprints were similar to those collected from the bomb and a bag left at the scene.
The suspect suffered from sever injuries and has since been staying at the intensive care unit at the Taipei Medical University Hospital. The man had suffered from severe injuries to his front, which led investigators to suspect the man in the first place. The type of home made explosive that triggered the blast needed to be operated at close quarters, which would explain the suspect’s injuries. The suspect is reportedly too injured to speak.
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that he was not acting alone.
Since the man had been staying in intensive care, it had been impossible to question him so far, reports said. According to the media, investigators were still considering the possibility that he had not been acting alone.
