CCTV footage has emerged showing the horrifying moments of a suspected arson attack at an Indian restaurant in East London. The incident, which occurred on Friday evening at Indian Aroma on Woodford Avenue in Gants Hill, Ilford, has left five people injured, two of them in critical condition. A 15-year-old boy and a 54-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.

The CCTV footage obtained by the PA news agency shows a group of masked individuals entering the Indian Aroma restaurant, pouring a liquid onto the floor, and within seconds, the restaurant is engulfed in flames. The footage also captured a man running out of the eatery with his clothes on fire.

Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene as customers and staff members scrambled to escape the inferno. Dina Michael, a witness, told the BBC that she "turned around and see some guy running like a fireball". She added that the man "had a Deliveroo bag on," while others hurt in the fire were customers inside the restaurant. Another resident, Edward Thawe, 43, said he saw one of the injured men whose "whole body was burnt".

Emergency services responded quickly to the scene after receiving calls at approximately 9:02 pm BST. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued five people from the restaurant, while nine others managed to escape before their arrival. Paramedics treated five people for burns and smoke inhalation before transporting them to local hospitals. Two of the victims, a man and a woman, remain in critical condition. Authorities believe that two additional victims left the scene before officers arrived and are working to identify them.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community. Sayed Bokhari, a local businessman, spoke of his worries for the neighbourhood, stating, "It is scary because we run retail stores which are welcoming customers in". He added, "The doors are open like the doors of your house. We cannot body check everyone to see if they are safe". Another resident described the aftermath as "horrible".

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers acknowledged the community's concerns and urged anyone with information to contact the police. He stated, "While we have made two arrests, our investigation continues at pace so we can piece together what happened on Friday evening".

The Indian Aroma restaurant, managed by Rohit Kaluvala, has sustained extensive damage. The restaurant describes itself as being dedicated to serving the "authentic flavours of India".

The Indian diaspora in London has expressed shock and alarm, with the attack heightening fears of racial targeting of Indian restaurants and businesses. Community leaders are calling for increased security and a more aggressive response from the police to address the threats against Indian businesses.