16-year-old charged with six counts of attempted murder after Ilford restaurant fire

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with six counts of attempted murder, arson with intent to endanger life and possession of an offensive weapon after a fire at an Indian restaurant in Gants Hill, Ilford, east London, that left two people fighting for their lives.

Six people were injured when flames ripped through the Indian Aroma on Woodford Avenue on Friday, August 22. Two victims remain in hospital with life-changing injuries, police said. The charged teenager was arrested on Tuesday and was due to appear at Barkingside Juvenile Court.

Metropolitan Police said CCTV footage appeared to show a group of people with their faces covered enter the restaurant, pour a liquid onto the floor and, seconds later, the interior becoming engulfed in flames. Footage also appeared to show a man running from the building with his clothing alight. The restaurant suffered extensive damage, and the London Fire Brigade said nine people escaped before firefighters arrived.

This is the second charging of a 16-year-old in connection with the incident; police previously charged another 16-year-old with offences including murder. A 56-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life on Sunday, August 24, and was later released on bail. Two further 16-year-old boys were arrested on September 5 on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and were subsequently released on bail, police said.

Officers and emergency services remained at the scene after the blaze as detectives conducted inquiries and examined CCTV. The Met urged anyone with information to contact police on 101, quoting log number 7559/22AUG, or to use the Crimestoppers anonymous hotline on 0800 555 111.

Local business owner Sayed Bokhari, who runs a shop near the restaurant, described the scene as "serious" and said the manager of the restaurant was "crying" and visibly shaken. "It looked like a scene from Halloween. It was a serious, dramatic thing and people were running around," he said. Bokhari said the incident had heightened fears among traders on the high street about public safety and the vulnerability of open-fronted businesses.

The Met has not released further details about a possible motive. Detectives from the force's specialist crime command continue to appeal for witnesses and for any additional CCTV or mobile phone footage from the area around the time of the fire.

The court appearance for the charged teenager is part of an ongoing investigation by the Met, which has been working with the London Fire Brigade to establish how the blaze started and to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident. No further charges have been announced at this stage.