A New York City high school senior, Hiram Carrero, 18, was charged with federal arson after allegedly setting a fire that severely burned a sleeping subway passenger. The incident took place on a northbound 3 train early Monday morning near the 34th Street–Penn Station stop, a bustling hub adjacent to Madison Square Garden and Macy's flagship store. Carrero's arraignment occurred in Manhattan federal court on Friday, but he was not required to enter a plea.
U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni ordered Carrero to be detained, citing the "heinousness of the crime," after prosecutors appealed against Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger’s initial decision to release Carrero to home confinement under his mother’s supervision. During the hearing, Caproni expressed her bewilderment at why an 18-year-old student would be out at such an hour committing such a violent act.
According to the criminal complaint, Carrero ignited a piece of paper and dropped it near the victim, a 56-year-old man, around 3 a.m. The victim managed to stumble to the next platform, 42nd Street–Times Square, with his legs and torso aflame. Surveillance footage captured the incident, showing the victim suffering severe burns before police extinguished the flames and rushed him to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. Prosecutor Cameron Molis emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the victim very well could have died.
Carrero was apprehended in Harlem, where he lives with his disabled mother, whom he supports by taking her to medical appointments. His mother attended the arraignment but chose not to speak to the media. The complaint indicates that Carrero briefly boarded the train, sparked the fire, and fled to a bus while the victim lay burning on the ground.
If convicted, Carrero faces a minimum of seven years in prison. A preliminary hearing is set for January 4, but this will be canceled if the prosecutors proceed to a grand jury and secure an indictment before that date. Carrero's attorney, Jennifer Brown, acknowledged the seriousness of the charges but pointed out that Carrero is a young man with no prior criminal record and a supportive mother. Before Judge Caproni intervened, Judge Lehrburger had agreed to release Carrero under strict conditions, including electronic monitoring, a mental health evaluation, and drug testing.
During the hearings, Brown attempted to sway the judge by referencing reports that investigators were considering the possibility that the victim had ignited himself. Carrero's case is being prosecuted at the federal level, investigated by the New York Arson and Explosives Task Force, which is a collaboration between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and local law enforcement agencies; he is not currently facing charges in state court.
Investigators focused on Carrero after comparing video footage from the fire to police body camera recordings from an earlier incident in October, when he was stopped for riding his bicycle through a red light while delivering for Uber Eats. Remarkably, both he and the arson suspect possessed similar physical characteristics, including a distinctive mustache, a hat with white lettering, and clothing described in the surveillance images.
This incident highlights a disturbing trend of violence on public transit in the U.S., including past occurrences where individuals have been set on fire. Federal charges were filed recently against other individuals in similar cases, emphasizing the alarming rise in attacks involving fire. In December 2024, another notable case involved a woman who was killed after a stranger set her clothing on fire while she was asleep on the subway.
