A man was injured on a subway train in midtown Manhattan when his pants suddenly caught fire. There was no attacker, and no verified reason why his pants combusted, but they did anyway. The incident happened on Tuesday afternoon on a southbound 1 train near Times Square. Other passengers quickly noticed the flames and helped put out the fire; the man, who is in his 40s, suffered burns to his legs and was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
Police are investigating what caused the man’s pants to ignite, but authorities don't believe the fire was set intentionally. One possibility being looked at is whether a battery or other item in the man's pocket may have sparked the blaze. The subway car was taken out of service after the incident, and no other passengers were hurt during the fire. The investigation is ongoing as officials work to determine exactly what happened.
Source: ABC7