A bus driver has died after one of his passengers poured flammable liquid on him and set him alight.
The attacker is alleged to have boarded the bus as it pulled up to a stop in Brisbane, before pouring liquid on the driver, setting him alight and running away.
The victim has been named as Manmeet Alisher, a 29-year-old, who is said to be well-known in Brisbane’s Indiand community.
Police have arrested a 48-year-old man in relation to the incident in the suburb of Moorooka, ruled out terrorism but have so far found ‘no apparent motive’.
Eleven passengers have been treated for smoke inhalation but no one is seriously hurt thanks in part to the efforts of passing taxi driver, Aguek Nyok, who kicked down the door to allow them to escape.
He told ABC News: ‘Unfortunately I couldn’t go inside because there were fumes,’ he told ABC News.
‘It was smoky. You can’t even think of going there – and the fire was getting higher and higher.’
Jim Keogh, Queensland police superintendent, said the driver stood little chance.
He added: ‘A bus driver, going about doing his business, supporting the community, has had his life taken from him in what is a senseless and needless act.
‘The fire was substantial, he [the driver] would have stood little chance. Words escape me, it’s a horrific incident here in the quiet suburb of Moorooka.’
Graham Quirk, Brisbane’s lord mayor, said the driver had only been working for several months.
He added: ‘I would just ask at this time for those people who do catch public transport in our city to please pay a special thank you to our drivers for the job that they do. ‘
The attacker is alleged to have boarded the bus as it pulled up to a stop in Brisbane, before pouring liquid on the driver, setting him alight and running away.
The victim has been named as Manmeet Alisher, a 29-year-old, who is said to be well-known in Brisbane’s Indiand community.
Police have arrested a 48-year-old man in relation to the incident in the suburb of Moorooka, ruled out terrorism but have so far found ‘no apparent motive’.
Eleven passengers have been treated for smoke inhalation but no one is seriously hurt thanks in part to the efforts of passing taxi driver, Aguek Nyok, who kicked down the door to allow them to escape.
He told ABC News: ‘Unfortunately I couldn’t go inside because there were fumes,’ he told ABC News.
‘It was smoky. You can’t even think of going there – and the fire was getting higher and higher.’
Jim Keogh, Queensland police superintendent, said the driver stood little chance.
He added: ‘A bus driver, going about doing his business, supporting the community, has had his life taken from him in what is a senseless and needless act.
‘The fire was substantial, he [the driver] would have stood little chance. Words escape me, it’s a horrific incident here in the quiet suburb of Moorooka.’
Graham Quirk, Brisbane’s lord mayor, said the driver had only been working for several months.
He added: ‘I would just ask at this time for those people who do catch public transport in our city to please pay a special thank you to our drivers for the job that they do. ‘