Investigators initially suspected the fire was accidental after finding liquor bottles near the victim, sources said. After reviewing surveillance footage from the subway car, police observed the suspect sitting across from the sleeping victim — with only the two of them in the car. The suspect then got up and ignited her clothes and the blanket she was using.
The suspect is seen leaving the train and sitting on a platform bench, observing as the woman burned, according to surveillance footage. Sources indicate she remained unresponsive until fully engulfed in flames.
The victim appeared to have mobility issues as indicated by a walker found at the scene, sources say, and was dressed in multiple layers, which officials suspect likely accelerated the fire’s spread.
The NYPD has confirmed the woman involved in the incident is an adult, over the age of 18. While she has not yet been identified, she appeared to be homeless, a law enforcement official told The New York Times.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/24/us/what-we-know-subway-fire-hnk/index.html
