Chicago police have reported that a man is now facing criminal charges following a fire incident on a CTA train that occurred on Friday morning.
The event took place near the Damen Avenue station on the Blue Line in the Wicker Park area shortly after 6 a.m., according to authorities.
Jesus Martinez, a 52-year-old resident of Northlake, is accused of deliberately igniting his personal items, which resulted in leg burns for himself.
Officials stated that the fire was quickly put out, and Martinez was transported to Stroger Hospital in stable condition. He was subsequently taken into custody by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On Sunday, police confirmed that Martinez has been charged with felony Aggravated Arson/Know Person Present and felony Criminal Damage/Government Property greater than $500 to $10,000.
No additional injuries were reported, but the incident led to significant delays for passengers on the Blue Line.
This fire occurred on the same day that CTA officials had planned to increase police presence at stations citywide, following the submission of a safety plan to federal authorities.
