Couple who set themselves on fire still under scrutiny

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-02-28 08:57

A couple, who were part of a trio who made a self-immolation bid in a car in central Beijing on Wednesday, were still under medical observation on Friday, a hospital official said.

While the 59-year-old man's condition was serious, the woman, aged 58, was in a stable condition. Both of them had regained consciousness, said Liang Xueya, an official with the Beijing Jishuitan Hospital.

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The hospital was monitoring the man's situation and has made preparations for any eventuality, the official said.

The man, who was seriously burnt, had a swelling in his throat and head and a severely injured respiratory tract. His wife had serious burn injuries to some of her fingers, the hospital spokesperson had said on Wednesday.

The three people had set fire to themselves inside a car at the southern end of Wangfujing Street, less than 2 km east of Tiananmen Square, on Wednesday afternoon.

The government information office said "the three people came to Beijing for personal petitions".

The office made no mention of the third person during a statement on Wednesday.

Xinhua