London, 25 August

A 15-year-old boy and a 54-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of arson on Sunday after an Indian restaurant in east London went up in flames, seriously injuring five people.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the Indian Aroma restaurant in Ilford on Friday night.

Three women and two men, believed to be diners at the eatery, suffered burn injuries and were treated at the scene by paramedics from the London Ambulance Service before being taken to the hospital. Two of them – a man and a woman — remain in a life-threatening condition, the police said.

“While we have made two arrests, our investigation continues at pace so we can piece together what happened on Friday evening,” said Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers of the Met Police’s Central Specialist Crime North unit.

“I know the community members are concerned and shocked by this incident. I would urge anyone with any information or concerns to come forward and speak to police,” he said.

The suspects have been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, and remain in police custody. There was a large police presence in the Woodford Avenue, Gants Hill, area of the restaurant over the weekend.

“It is also believed there are two further victims who left the scene before officers arrived. Efforts remain ongoing to identify them,” the police said.

The restaurant suffered extensive damage in the blaze, with neighbours recounting loud screams on Friday night. There are some reports of the CCTV footage showing a group of people wearing face coverings walking into the restaurant and pouring liquid on the floor before it was engulfed in flames.

“We sent resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic, an incident response officer and paramedics from our hazardous area response team,” the London Ambulance Service said.

"We treated five people for burns and smoke inhalation. We took two patients to a major trauma centre and three others to local hospitals,” it added.

The restaurant, managed by Rohit Kaluvala, describes itself as being dedicated to serving the “authentic flavours of India”.

“Some of our clientele include movie executives, film and television crews, religious and cultural events, charity and business events, and religious and cultural events. Our restaurant is highly known for both its first-rate customer service and its high-quality, distinctive Indian cuisine served with its authentic recipes,” its website notes, highlighting curry award wins over the years.

The London Fire Brigade said it continues to investigate the cause of the blaze.

“We were called at 9.02 pm to reports of a fire at a restaurant on Woodford Avenue in Gants Hill. Part of the ground-floor restaurant was damaged by fire,” a spokesperson said.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued five people from the restaurant. They were all taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service. Around nine further people were able to leave the restaurant before firefighters arrived,” the spokesperson said.