A woman was doused in a flammable liquid and set on fire by an unknown assailant on a tram in the eastern German city of Gera on Sunday, a police spokeswoman said on Sunday.
The 46-year-old woman was flown to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, she said. The motives behind the act remain unclear.
The suspected perpetrator managed to escape. Police were deployed in large numbers.
Police are investigating for attempted murder, according to the spokeswoman. The suspect has “not yet been definitively identified by name.” A search for the perpetrator is under way. No other individuals were injured in the incident, she added.
The exact nature of the liquid used by the man to douse the woman is still under investigation, the police said, updating earlier reports that mentioned petrol.
Tram passengers pressed the emergency button after the incident, bringing the tram to a halt.
“The perpetrator took this as an opportunity to flee towards Gera’s Langenberg [district],” the police spokeswoman said.
The tram driver reacted immediately and started to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher.
The woman initially received medical treatment and was then flown to a hospital by an emergency rescue helicopter.
Support has been offered to the passengers and the tram driver.
The tram remained stationary at the scene for forensic investigation. The criminal investigation department is on-site, according to the police spokeswoman.
Photos showed soot and blackened areas inside the tram.
By Stefan Hantzschmann
