Insurance office attacked
Source: Agencies |
February 4, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A DISGRUNTLED customer wheeled a shopping cart loaded with gasoline-filled jerry cans into an Australian insurance office and lit fireworks yesterday, causing a blast and fire that injured 15 people, authorities said.
The attack triggered temporary panic in downtown Darwin, the biggest city in Australia's north.
Witnesses described a large booming noise and sounds like gunshots going off, before seeing smoke billowing from the building and people stumbling out.
Police said 15 people were treated in hospital for burns and smoke inhalation, including one officer. Police Commander Colleen Gwynne said four of the victims were in intensive care while the rest were being discharged.
A 44-year-old man was taken into custody after giving himself up to police soon after the blast, which went off in the Territory Insurance Office that is part of a busy shopping complex in Darwin. Charges were not immediately filed.
"I can confirm he was a dissatisfied claimant," Gwynne said. "This is not a terrorist incident."
Richard Harding, the company's CEO, said he was disturbed that the alleged attacker was an unhappy customer, but said he did not know the details of the man's claim.
The attack triggered temporary panic in downtown Darwin, the biggest city in Australia's north.
Witnesses described a large booming noise and sounds like gunshots going off, before seeing smoke billowing from the building and people stumbling out.
Police said 15 people were treated in hospital for burns and smoke inhalation, including one officer. Police Commander Colleen Gwynne said four of the victims were in intensive care while the rest were being discharged.
A 44-year-old man was taken into custody after giving himself up to police soon after the blast, which went off in the Territory Insurance Office that is part of a busy shopping complex in Darwin. Charges were not immediately filed.
"I can confirm he was a dissatisfied claimant," Gwynne said. "This is not a terrorist incident."
Richard Harding, the company's CEO, said he was disturbed that the alleged attacker was an unhappy customer, but said he did not know the details of the man's claim.
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