A person has been arrested after a victim was set on fire at a Toronto traffic station on Friday afternoon.
Police say they were originally called at Kipling Station, near Kipling Avenue and Dundas Street, around 12:30 p.m. after receiving a report from a man assaulting a woman. near.
According to investigators, a male spilled a liquid substance on a female and then ignited it.
TTC employees, as well as nearby citizens, assisted the victim and she was rushed to the hospital.
A suspect has been arrested for the incident.
TTC CEO Rick Leary told CP24 on Friday afternoon that the attack took place on a bus and not at runway level. Service on Line 2 between Kipling and Islington stations was suspended while police conducted their investigation.
“I can tell you that it was the TTC employees who responded to the incident and were able to help the police catch the suspect,” he said.
In a previous statement, Leary said he was “shocked” by the attack on Kipling Station.
“Our thoughts are with the victim for a full recovery,” he said. “I know incidents like this are worrisome for customers, and I share that concern.”
“Safety is paramount to everything we do and I am committed to ensuring that the TTC is as safe as possible.”
Officers investigate a violent incident at Kipling Station on June 17, 2022. (Sean MacInnes / CTV News Toronto)
Leary went on to say that while the TTC provides traffic to millions of customers each year without incident, “they can’t and don’t take it for granted.”
He said special agents are strategically patrolling the traffic system to deter and respond to security incidents and that the agency is working with Toronto police to increase its presence.
In April, police said they would increase their visibility at the TTC after several violent and disturbing incidents, including a case in which a woman was pushed onto the tracks as a train approached.
He managed to roll under the platform lip to prevent the train from entering, suffering a broken rib.
The woman is suing the TTC for negligence, arguing that the TTC did not “implement sufficient safety protocols on the subway platform.”
The TTC, for its part, defends itself by saying that the victim chose to stand on the edge of a platform and did not pay due care and attention to his environment.
Toronto police have reported other cases of violence in the traffic system since then, including assaults, stabbings and robberies. Leary said that in addition to ensuring that there are cameras and emergency alarms at all stations and vehicles, the TTC is “actively recruiting new special agents” and is increasing its partnership with Streets to Homes to help people in crisis.