• Source:JND
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A 15-year-old boy and a 54-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a devastating fire ripped through the Indian Aroma restaurant in Ilford, east London. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the arrests were made on Sunday, two days after the attack. Both suspects remain in custody as investigations continue. Around 9 pm local time on Friday, the fire started and swiftly spread throughout the restaurant. Three women and two men, who were reportedly patrons of the restaurant, suffered severe burn injuries, the Metropolitan Police said. After treating them on the spot, London Ambulance Service paramedics hurried them to the hospital.

While others are still receiving treatment for severe burns, two of the victims, a man and a woman, remain in a potentially fatal condition.

Firefighters Fight Fire For Ninety Minutes

It took firefighters almost ninety minutes to contain the fire after they arrived on the scene. Even though they acted quickly, the fire left a path of destruction and terror for those who were there.

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Dina Michael, a witness, described the horrifying moment when a man ran from the restaurant “like a fireball.” She added, “He was fully on fire. One of my friends came with a water bucket, and we were just trying to put the fire down.”
Another eyewitness, Edward Thawe, a 43-year-old hospital porter, said he saw a man whose “whole body was burnt.” Thawe, accompanied by his 12-year-old son, rushed outside after hearing desperate screams. He described the incident as “horrible, the sort of thing you don’t want to look at twice.”

Victims Treated By Emergency Services

Other residents reported seeing emergency services dousing victims with water and administering oxygen. One local said the injured appeared to be in “severe agony” and added, “I can only imagine the pain they were going through. It was just an absolutely horrible situation.”

The two detained suspects are being held on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, according to confirmation from the Metropolitan Police. Two additional victims may have left the scene before police arrived, according to authorities, and they are still being sought after and identified.

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