A man inside a Manhattan subway station was lighting newspapers on fire before chucking the flaming objects at riders, according to police, and the suspect is still on the loose.
Video showed the chaos unfold inside the East 33rd Street station on Park Avenue. A witness, Stephen Carlstrom, said the man was near the turnstile arguing with high school students on the platform, when fiery words turned into actual fire as the suspect torched newspapers.
“I was just thinking it’s going to blow on the platform and cause everyone a delay or worse," said Carlstrom.
The man didn't stop, instead just lighting a bigger fire. Carlstrom extinguished those flames.
"I have this big water bottle with me that I kind of had in a cross body strap. I opened up the lid and threw water on it. Stomped on it with some of the students that were on the train," Carlstrom told NBC New York.
Knowing first responders weren’t close by, Stephen captured the man on video — which the man did not like. So he threw a fireball at the Kips Bay resident, video showed.
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"As soon as he saw me come up with a camera, he threw the newspaper at me," said Carlstrom.
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Not finished with his tirade, the man set another fire underground — but the flames were too big that time for Carlstrom to extinguish.
"The entryway was smoky and so, you know when you start a camp fire with newspaper and you see the ashes in the air, I started seeing those and I was like, we have to get out of here," he said. "The kids on the train and I wanted to get out and call 911.”
The man has not been identified, and police are still searching for him. Anyone with information regarding the suspect or the incident is asked to contact police.
