A police officer has been injured after an explosion and fire tore through a house in Finsbury Park, North London, following an “altercation”.
Large numbers of emergency services, including 10 fire engines and 72 firefighters, rushed to Stapleton Hall Road following a “disturbance” involving bailiffs just before noon, Haringey Today reports.
There was an explosion at the property and shortly after London Fire Brigade reported that the “entire basement” of the house was alight. The blaze also spread to parts of the ground floor and a garden shed.
As well as the police officer, who sustained an arm injury, a second man is believed to have suffered serious burns. A third person was treated at the scene.
One person had managed to get out the house before the Fire Brigade arrived and the London Air Ambulance was also scrambled as the property was evacuated.
“Something massive is happening on my street… some kind of altercation on street followed by [a] loud explosion,” tweeted resident Paul Pixton around 12.15pm.
“Word is there are more fire engines on the scene and could be quite some time before residents are allowed back in”, he added an hour later.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “Police were called at around 11:50hrs on Wednesday, 19 April, to a disturbance at a residential address in Stapleton Hall Road N4. It is [understood] that bailiffs were at the address.
“Officers attended the location and, as they arrived at around midday, there was a localised explosion within the property.
“At this early stage, police are aware of two people injured. One man has sustained serious burns, and a police officer sustained an arm injury. We await further details.
“The address has been evacuated, but no neighbouring properties are affected at present.
“This is a live incident and all emergency services are working together to make the scene safe and to begin a thorough investigation into the circumstances. There has been no arrest.”