Man who set Guangzhou bus ablaze was angry over debts, police say
Guangzhou police say suspect, 25, confessed to setting vehicle on fire; witnesses who helped rescue victims recall horrific scenes
Frustration over gambling debts drove a 25-year-old man to set fire to a bus in Guangzhou, killing two and injuring 32 others, during rush hour on Tuesday, municipal police have said.
Authorities detained the suspect yesterday and said he had confessed.
Witnesses described hearing a loud bang as the bus approached Dunhe station in the Haizhu district just after 7.40pm. Flames engulfed the vehicle and people scrambled to get off. The bodies of the two victims were found in their seats. Firefighters put out the blaze within about 15 minutes.
The suspect, from Hengyang in Hunan province, set fire to the vehicle "to vent his anger over gambling losses", a police statement said.
They have not offered details on what materials the suspect used in the attack.
At least eight people remain in critical condition in hospital, among them a woman who is three months pregnant. Most of the victims suffered burns.