Passenger Trains > Passenger sets self on fire on Japan bullet train (AP)

Associated Press just reported that a passenger poured oil over themselves and ignited it on a Japanese bullet train.  Unconfirmed reports 1 dead several injured from smoke inhalation.  FoxNews.com has a link to the article:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/06/30/passenger-sets-self-on-fire-on-japan-bullet-train/?intcmp=latestnews

Death toll is now 2:

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002256170

Definitely I will pay more attention to the location of the fire extinguisher, sledge hammer, and emergency pull next time I board a Shinkansen!  New reports tonight showed people sitting in a rapidly filling smokey coach doing nothing. Probably good for Amtrak passengers to look for exits ad all of the above.

Would this be the first passenger fatality on a Shinkansen? Of course I refer to the second person who died, not the one that set themselves ablaze.
Nick

Posted from iPhone

NGotwalt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Would this be the first passenger fatality on a
> Shinkansen? Of course I refer to the second person
> who died, not the one that set themselves ablaze.
> Nick
>
> Posted from iPhone

First fatality happened when a 17 year old teen tried to rush for the train, got his finger stuck on the door that closed on him, and got dragged off the platform by the Shinkansen. That happened in 1995.

I know of at least two suicides by Shinkansen, one ex-employee, and another who climbed through fencing to access the ROW. Preliminary report suggests the guy who set himself ablaze was a 71 year old Tokyo resident who committed suicide. The 52 year old woman who died was a Yokohama resident, not related to the 71 year old, and she died from smoke inhalation.