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Indian restaurant attacked in London: 15-year-old boy and man held for suspected arson
The Metropolitan Police said a 15-year-old boy and a 54-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. Both remain in custody.
A teenage boy and a man have been arrested after a suspected arson attack tore through an Indian restaurant in east London, leaving five people injured, two of them in a life-threatening condition.
The blaze broke out at Indian Aroma on Woodford Avenue in Gants Hill, Ilford, on Friday evening, sending flames through the building. Three women and two men were taken to the hospital, with police later confirming that a man and a woman remain in a life-threatening condition, BBC reported.
The Metropolitan Police said a 15-year-old boy and a 54-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. Both remain in custody.
Firefighters took 90 minutes to bring the blaze under control after it erupted at around 21:00 BST. Dina Michael, who witnessed the fire, told BBC, “I turned around and see some guy running like a fireball. He was fully on fire. One of my friends came with a water bucket and we were just trying to put the fire down.”
Michael added that the man “had a Deliveroo bag on”, while others hurt in the fire were customers inside the restaurant.
Local resident Edward Thawe, 43, said he saw one of the injured men whose “whole body was burnt”. Another resident described witnessing three people “severely burned” being treated by emergency services with water and oxygen.
Police said in addition to the five people taken to the hospital, they believe another two victims were injured but left before emergency crews arrived. Efforts are ongoing to trace them.
Nine other people managed to escape the building before firefighters and police reached the scene.
Det Ch Insp Mark Rogers said, “While we have made two arrests, our investigation continues at pace so we can piece together what happened on Friday evening.”
“I know the community are concerned and shocked by this incident. I would urge anyone with any information or concerns to come forward and speak to police,” Rogers added.
