Three fire engines and 14 firefighters and officers were called by police to a fire in a maisonette on Hartington Road in Walthamstow yesterday afternoon.
When firefighters arrived they saw a man being detained by police officers and smoke coming out of a ground floor window.
Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus put out the fire in the hallway and searched the property for anyone else who may have been inside. Thankfully there was no one else in the building.
Walthamstow Crew Manager Paul Dickinson said:
“Firefighters quickly dealt with the fire and searched the property. We also administered first aid to police officers who were suffering from smoke inhalation. London Ambulance Service crews arrived and continued to treat them.”
Fire investigator Paul Osbourne and his fire dog Sherlock were on the scene to assist with the police’s investigations. Paul Osbourne said:
“Sherlock was used to sniff out accelerants inside and outside the property. He was able to detect ignitable substances and greatly helped the police’s investigations.
“Sherlock’s sense of smell is more accurate than technology that has been designed to detect ignitable substances and our fire dogs help the Fire Investigation Team provide a higher level of accuracy and improve the conviction rate against people who deliberately start fires.
The Brigade was called at 1659 and the fire was under control at 1721. Fire crews from Walthamstow and Leytonstone fire stations attended the scene.
A man has been arrested after officers forced entry to a house where a fire had been started in Walthamstow.
Police were called at approximately 16:40hrs on Wednesday, 1 February following concerns for the welfare of a man at an address in Hartington Road, E17.
Officers attended and attempted to speak to the man. However, through a window they noticed that a fire had been started inside the address.
Police forced entry to the property and found the man in possession of a knife and a bottle of accelerant - the man proceeded to squirt the liquid at officers.
The man refused to comply with officers' instructions and Taser was discharged.
Police statement said:
“A man, 39, was detained and arrested on suspicion of arson with intent and GBH with intent. He was taken to an east London hospital as a precaution and has since been released - he remains in custody at an east London police station.
“Four male officers were taken to hospital suffering the effects of smoke inhalation but have since been discharged.”