Asylum-seeker 'doused himself in fuel and set off explosion' that injured 27 in Melbourne bank

[minime]

Two people were fighting for their lives last night and dozens of wounded recovering after an asylum-seeker, who is understood to have arrived by boat at Christmas Island in 2013 and had been living in the community on a bridging visa, ­allegedly set himself alight inside the Springvale branch of the Commonwealth Bank in the city’s southeast shortly before midday, sparking an explosion and fire that swept through the building.

 

The 26 victims included a toddler and an elderly man, understood to be in his 80s. They were taken to hospital with burns or smoke inhalation, with six transferred to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition. Four of the critically injured had improved last night.

“I’m shaking right now, I’m shaking,†said Tran Phan, a local trader who was captured on film in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

Ambulance Victoria spokesman Andy Roughton described the immediate aftermath as “quite chaoticâ€. He confirmed 26 people had been transferred to hospital for treatment; six of them were “very criticalâ€. “It’s traumatic for everyone involved, the emergency services and bystanders,†he said. “We’re conscious of that. It’s a dreadful thing to witness.†By evening, The Alfred hospital had two of those patients listed as critical, while the others were listed as serious or serious but ­stable. Acting Inspector Jackie Poidas said arson police were continuing to investigate the incident and it appeared the alleged offender had used accelerant to start the fire. “He walked in to the bank and he lit that accelerant which caused some sort of fire within the bank,†she said.

A staff member at the payday loan operator across the road, who did not wish to be identified, ­described the aftermath as ­“horrifyingâ€. “One man was crying, screaming, “Why me? Why me?†she said. “He had skin just falling off his arm. It was awful.â€

Witnesses claimed the man appeared distressed. “Apparently he was crying about how he got moved from house to house and they wouldn’t give him moneyâ€, said Ashley Atkin-Fone, a civil engineer who was working nearby.

The shocking attack, occurring near a primary school and one of Melbourne’s busiest suburban train stations, came after the alleged offender was seen buying fuel from a nearby petrol station. CCTV footage has captured the accused — who was under police guard last night — walking along Springvale Road moments before he arrived at the branch, distressed about his housing and financial circumstances.

Police do not believe the man’s actions were terror-related, although there might have been political elements at play. However, The Weekend Australian understands that the ­accused, who had made an asylum claim and came from Myanmar, was not facing deportation. He was eligible to apply for a Temporary Protection Visa, but he had not done so. Sources claim he had been well behaved while in detention and there was no history of mental ­illness.

 

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/dozens-hurt-in-asylum-firebomb-attack/news-story/65a9dd6bf76cf111c9a9c8cec4e25bb7

[semisomniac]

Oh dear...