https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...me-arson-east-London-anti-Semitism-probe.html
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.
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
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.
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
