The National Police is on the trail of the lead suspect in the arson incident on the Metro Line 2 yesterday morning, 27 October 2014.
The Transport Reorganization Office (OPRET) has now confirmed that the man named in news reports as a suspect, Francis Alberto Gonzalez Gil, was not responsible for the incident yesterday that left more than 20 people injured, some seriously.
Relatives of 30-year old Francis Alberto Gonzalez Gil immediately denied that he was responsible for starting a fire on Line 2 of the Santo Domingo Metro, as claimed in the initial reports on the incident.
His mother Isidora Silvestre Gil and his aunt Dolores, as well as his wife Karen Pozo, say that he has been a victim of the real perpetrator.
They said that he was on his way to work as usual in La Sirena in the Churchill Megacentro. After finishing work, at 6pm he would have gone to the University (UASD) where he is studying graphic arts and advertising.
Gonzalez Gil, 30, lives with his pregnant wife in Ensanche Espaillat, in the northern part of Santo Domingo.
His wife said that the security cameras will show what happened, but said that according to him, some of the survivors hugged him, causing his burns.
Gonzalez Gil is currently in the Burn Unit at Luis Eduardo Aybar hospital in a stable but serious condition with 45 to 50% burns.
OPRET released a photograph showing the lead suspect in the fire as a young light-skinned man who was not wearing a shirt.
According to OPRET spokesman Leonel Carrasco, the suspect boarded the train at Ramon Caceres station and when the train doors closed and it started to move, he took a box of matches and set fire to his backpack, which contained some sort of inflammable material. At that time the train was 75% full with between 450 and 500 passengers on board.
Carrasco added that the man then took off his baseball hat and shirt as they were on fire and ran off at the same station where he boarded. A Metro security guard stopped him as he was going up the escalator and asked him why he was not wearing a shirt and he replied that the train was on fire and ran off. All of this has been captured on security cameras.
The Metro distributed a photo to the press of the lead suspect who had carried the incendiary device inside a metro car, endangering the lives of 500 passengers traveling in the metro at the time. News reports point out that the incident proves that the Metro security systems are in place. As soon as the incident happened, the driver stopped the train and opened all the doors so the passengers could get off. Services were fully restored by 9:22 am, after the damaged car was removed.
In a radio interview yesterday, Opret director Diandino Pena said that the security controls at the Metro are now under review. He said that there are no detectors for weapons, metal or inflammable substances.
According to reports, 35 people were injured and 19 were taken to the Luis Eduardo Aybar (Morgan) Hospital burn center. Four persons were hospitalized and two have since been released.
At least 11 fire-fighting trucks, 15 ambulances from the 911 system and more than 100 rescue workers responded in what is described as the “greatest rescue” ever in the country.
Diandino Peña aclara joven no es responsable de incendio en el Metro
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2014/10/27/343024/Familiares-niegan-que-joven-Francis-Alberto-Gonzalezfuera-el-autor-de
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2014/10/28/343119/Escapa-el-acusado-de-incendiar-vagon-Metro
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2014/10/28/i856921_hombre-atent-contra-unos-500-pasajeros-del-metro.html
Joven que provocó atentado en Metro huyó y es buscado por PN