A teenager and a man have been arrested in connection with a suspected arson attack that ripped through an Indian restaurant in east London on Friday night (Aug 22).
The blaze left five people injured, including three women and two men, who were rushed to the hospital with burns.
The Metropolitan Police said that the boy (15-year-old) and the man (54-year-old) were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
Story continues below this ad
Two of the victims, a man and a woman, remain in hospital in life-threatening condition, the authorities said.
The fire engulfed the Indian Aroma on Woodford Avenue in Gants Hill, Ilford, on Friday evening, at around 21:00 BST. The firefighters reached the spot and doused the blaze in about 90 minutes.
‘Running like a fireball’
One of the witness said that he saw a man “fully on fire”, as he, along with his friend, tried to help put the fire down.
“I turned around and see some guy running like a fireball,” Dina Michael told BBC London.
Story continues below this ad
“He was fully on fire. One of my friends came with a water bucket and we were just trying to put the fire down,” he said.
Local resident Edward Thawe said that he saw a man whose “whole body was burnt”.
Another local said that three “severely burned” people were given oxygen by the emergency services.
The Met said that besides the five people that were treated at the scene, two injured victims left before the emergency services arrived and efforts were now being made to identify them.
Story continues below this ad
According to BBC reports, nine other people managed to get out of the building before the emergency service 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.”