Short-Circuit Blamed For Subway Fire

A fire that killed 300 on the Baku subway was caused by sparks from a short circuit, not by terrorists, Swedish investigators have concluded.

The Oct. 28 fire started in wiring near gears under a subway car, Stockholm police superintendent Curt Nilsson said.

Nilsson said melted metal fragments and witnesses’ accounts gave no sign of sabotage, which some officials have suggested. Most top law enforcement officials blame negligent maintenance.

Last week, forensic experts concluded that most of the dead and the 200 injured suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning, rejecting theories of a poison gas attack.