18 injured in HK subway arson attack

A Taiwan tourist was among three people in critical condition yesterday after a rush hour arson attack on a Hong Kong subway train the previous night, officials said, with one man with a history of mental illness arrested for the crime.

A total of 18 people were injured in the incident which occurred at 7:15 pm Friday, while police said they had seized suspected liquid accelerants from the scene.

Police have ruled out the possibility of a terrorist attack and said the man acted alone. Video footage showed chaos on the platform of the packed Tsim Sha Tsui station, with a train carriage on fire and one man lying on the floor with his clothes ablaze as bystanders tried to help him.