A fire which gutted a house in east London where four people were hurt is being investigated as a possible ‘antisemitic hate crime’, police have said.
Police have arrested a man in his 60s on suspicion of starting the fire and for allegedly shouting ‘threatening comments some of which were allegedly antisemitic.’
It is believed the fire on Newick Road, Hackney, was started deliberately at around lunchtime yesterday.
People living in the road have claimed that families with young children had to be evacuated from the building as a result of the blaze, with one woman and her child being rescued from the top floor by a builder who was working nearby.
The Metropolitan Police said the man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life made threatening and for making ‘allegedly antisemitic’ comments when detained.
It is believed the fire on Newick Road, Hackney, was started deliberately. Police have arrested a man in his 60s on suspicion of starting the fire and for allegedly shouting ‘threatening comments some of which were allegedly antisemitic’
The man, who is reported to have been a resident of a flat in the house, suffered minor injuries in the fire and is currently being treated in hospital.
Four other people were also injured in the blaze but none are in a life-threatening condition.
Homeowners on the road claimed they heard a ‘bomb-like explosion’ that left debris and smoke everywhere.
Zakariya Ahmed, who lives next door to the property, said his family had to be evacuated as the flames threatened to consume their home.
The 29-year-old business development manager, who is Muslim, said that his wife and their two-month-old daughter had to rush to escape, while their Jewish neighbour Dave Rindl came to help his elderly father who has dementia.
He told The Times: ‘He’s a Jewish man, we’re a Muslim family, and he came to help. There was glass on the floor and my granddad didn’t have shoes on, so we had to protect him from the glass as we escorted him.’
He also praised a ‘heroic’ builder who sprung into action after hearing the screams of a woman trapped on the top floor of the building.
Mr Ahmed said the man, who is called Chris, ‘jumped two fences, got the ladder, and brought down a mother and the child’.
A police car sits in front of the fire damaged property on Thursday night as the Met investigates
The gutted shell of the house shows significant fire and smoke damage after the blaze in Hackney
Police in forensics gear, along with a sniffer dog, gather outside the property on Thursday
Police are looking into whether the fire was started as part of an antisemitic hate crime
A Metropolitan Police and a London Fire Brigade van parked in front of the fire damaged property
London Fire Brigade said eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters tackled the fire, which left the ground and first floors of the three-storey house destroyed.
Met Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said: ‘On his arrest the man made a number of threatening comments, some of which were allegedly antisemitic.
‘We take instances of antisemitism extremely seriously and for this reason we’re investigating the incident as a potential hate crime.
‘Undoubtedly this will be extremely concerning news for our Jewish communities in Hackney and beyond, and I and my officers will be engaging with partners including the Community Safety Trust and the Shomrim to answer their questions and listen to their views.
‘Whilst the investigation will continue to explore the motivation for this offence, we believe at this stage that this was centred on a localised housing-related issue.
‘We have no indication, at this very early stage, that the motivation was connected with any specific local or global events.’
Mr Conway said the Met had a robust policing plan in place, including increased patrols and enhanced police visibility, as Jewish communities begin celebrations for the Purim holiday period.
A Community Security Trust spokesperson said: ‘This appears to be a very serious incident and we appreciate the police’s swift action.
‘We have been in contact with police since yesterday and we will be working with them to provide reassurance to the local Jewish community over the coming days.’
