Edmonton Police Station: Man arrested after car crashes into building

11 November 2020, 20:03 | Updated: 11 November 2020, 23:04

Car crashes into Edmonton Police Station

A man has been arrested after a car crashed into the wall of a police station in London.

Scotland Yard said a man in his 40s had been arrested on suspicion of arson and other offences and that the vehicle had been examined by specialist officers.

The incident took place around 7pm on Wednesday and footage on social media appears to show the crashed car with a man setting a substance alight in the street.

Footage posted online shows a man leaving the car and pouring a substance onto the road from a container and setting the liquid on fire.

Footage from witnesses show officers shouting "get back" as they doused the flames in the road.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "At around 18:58hrs on Wednesday, 11 November a vehicle collided with the station office at Edmonton Police Station.

"A man - no further details - has been detained in connection with the incident. The vehicle remains at the scene. Specialist officers are in attendance while it is examined.

"At this stage we have not been informed of any injuries. London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade are present.

"The police station has been evacuated and a large police cordon is in place."

In an update, the Metropolitan Police said: "Officers remain on scene. No injuries have been reported.

"The cordon has been reduced and officers have returned to the station.

"At this time this remains a local investigation but is being supported by counter-terrorism officers.

"More updates in due course."

London mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: "I'm in constant contact with the @MetPoliceUK Commissioner about the major incident in Edmonton this evening.

"I’m grateful to the police officers and other emergency services who brought the situation under control and continue to investigate the incident."

Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted: "As always, very grateful to the police and emergency services for their courage and professionalism in responding so swiftly to the incident in Edmonton this evening."

Forensic teams arrive at the scene in Edmonton

Ogur Mazlum, who works at a shop near the incident, told LBC: "He rammed into the main entrance, the glass part, and was insisting on trying to get in.

"When he noticed that he couldn't get it, he got out a can of petrol and tipped it on the floor starting at the car and into the middle of the road and set it alight."

The road and surrounding area remains closed off while officers investigate further.

Police presence at the scene in Edmonton

His wife Serife Mazlum said another man watching the scene from across the street ran to intervene after the driver had set the fuel alight.

"He pinned (the driver) to the ground just as the police was arriving," she said.

"So by the time the police came and got out of the cars the citizen had already slammed him to the ground."

LBC reporter at the scene in Edmonton

She said efforts were then focussed on extinguishing the fire, which was "just getting worse".

Asked how she and her husband are now feeling, Mrs Mazlum said: "To be honest in Edmondton Green whenever the helicopter flies over your head you know there's a problem.

"(The driver) looked like a pretty sane person. It was intentional.

"It is horrifying. As soon as my husband sent me the video he said we're closing (the shop) and coming home."

Peter Allimadi, 30, from Edmonton, said he heard "shouting, a loud crash and sirens from everywhere".

He said: "I came out of the Lidl to see what the commotion was about, police screaming instructions to citizens to back away, some scared shoppers, commuters and parents running from the scene."