Taipei: At least 21 people were injured in an explosion inside a train carriage here on Thursday night, RT.com reported.
A local TV news Channel reported that just before 10 p.m. local time there was a loud bang in the sixth carriage of a crowded commuter train, which then quickly became engulfed in flames. The Straits Times and several other local media said there were three explosions.
A local newspaper cited eyewitnesses as saying that they saw a man in his 40s walk inside the carriage, put down a 15-20 cm tube-like object and quickly exit the train.
National Police Agency Director General Chen Kuo-en has confirmed that the explosion was likely caused by a "firecracker-like device".
The report says the self-ruled island's premier, Lin Chuan, ordered government agencies to form a team to investigate the blast.
The report cites unidentified witnesses as saying they heard a loud explosion before the train carriage burst into flames.
However, police refused to call the incident a terrorist attack.
(With inputs from agencies)
