Boy and man arrested over Gants Hill restaurant ‘arson attack’

A teenage boy and a man have been arrested after a suspected arson attack at an east London restaurant left at least five people injured.

Three women and two men were taken to hospital when a blaze ripped through Indian Aroma on Woodford Avenue in Gants Hill, Ilford, on Friday evening.

The Met Police said a 15-year-old boy and a 54-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to danger life.

It added that two of the victims – a man and a woman – remained in a life-threatening condition in hospital.

Firefighters took 90 minutes to extinguish the fire after the flames took hold at about 21:00 BST.

Dina Michael, who witnessed the blaze, told BBC London: “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.”

He added that the man “had a Deliveroo bag on”, while other people injured were customers at the restaurant.

Local resident Edward Thawe, 43, said he had seen one of the injured men whose “whole body was burnt”.

Another local, who did not want to give his name, said he had witnessed three “severely burned” people being doused by emergency services and given oxygen.

In addition to the five people treated at the scene, the Met said it believed another two people had been injured but left before emergency services arrived.

It said efforts were being made to identify them.

Nine other people were able to get out of the building before the emergency services arrived.

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.”

The two people arrested remain in police custody.