Taiwan police said on Friday revealed that they had identified “several” possible suspects after an explosion on a train in Taipei injured 25 people. The authorities however ruled out the possibility of a terrorist attack.
Of those injured – 14 male and 11 female – five were in critical condition, according to the National Police Agency.
The cabin burst into flames after three blasts were heard in the train traveling from Hsinchu to Keelung. Authorities were notified at 10pm, and they sent more than 10 ambulances and 10 fire engines to the scene.
Police say the blast which hit the train late Thursday appeared to have been caused by a pipe bomb.
A video and some pictures showing the aftermath was uploaded by udn.com.
More details awaited.
A red bag found in the carriage’s toilet was also believed to be connected to the case. Premier Lin Chuan said the blast was caused by someone with “malicious intent”.
Local media quoted eyewitnesses saying they had seen a man carry a black rectangle-shaped object onto the train.
Images from inside the train carriage showed shattered glass on the floor and part of a side wall blackened by flames. Passengers rushed off the train once it reached the station, many of them suffering from burns.
The last major attack on Taipei’s public transit was when a college student killed four people in a stabbing spree in 2014 on the metro, shocking the island and prompting a security overhaul.
(With AFP Inputs)
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