A 26-year-old woman is in critical condition after being intentionally set on fire Monday night on a Chicago Transit Authority train, according to police.
Police have taken a person of interest into custody in connection with the incident, but have not released any details about the individual.
Investigators say the woman was involved in a verbal argument with a man,estimated to be 45 years old,while riding the train. The altercation escalated when the man allegedly poured a liquid onto the woman and ignited it, causing her to catch fire. The type of liquid used remains unknown.
After the train stopped, the suspect fled the scene as the woman, ablaze, exited the train and fell to the ground. the fire was extinguished before police arrived.
The woman suffered severe burns to her body and was transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
An examination is ongoing. According to NBC Chicago, witnesses observed paramedics loading the woman into an ambulance. One witness described her condition as “really bad,” adding, “I just saw a lady that was laying in the ground, and they were trying to give her CPR. And she looked like she was in an awful lot of pain.”
The incident caused important disruptions to train service,with lines shut down for several hours. Service resumed around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, and trains were running on schedule as of Tuesday morning, NBC Chicago reported.
