Subway Clerk Dies of Burns in Booth Attack
- Share via
NEW YORK — A subway token clerk died Sunday after a two-week struggle to recover from severe burns suffered in a botched robbery that was a virtual replay of a scene from a movie.
Harry Kaufman, 50, had been in critical condition since suffering second- and third-degree burns over 80% of his body on Nov. 26. Two men squirted a flammable fluid into his token booth and ignited it. There have been no arrests.
The movie “Money Train” twice depicts a pyromaniac squirting gas into a token booth and lighting it.
Kaufman’s death came a day after a similar robbery attempt in another subway station. The clerk escaped injury because of a fire-extinguishing system.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.