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Residents shocked by blast news
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| DCI Colin Sutton. Picture: Simon Jacobs. |
RESIDENTS have expressed their dismay at news that an explosion in South Harrow could have been caused by a group of teenage girls.
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton, the investigating officer, said enquiries are focusing on a purple liquid poured through the letterbox of a house in Stanley Road, on the morning of the day the blast hit.
Alan Armstrong, 76, heard the explosion from his home in Park Mead and said rumours have been circulating about the cause.
He said: "If someone started pouring stuff through my letterbox I'd be a bit worried.
"I'd probably be out the back door."
A 17-year-old girl, named locally as Charlotte Anderson, called police to report a small group of two or three girls outside the ground floor flat, where she lives alone, at 10.53am, on Wednesday morning.
The liquid was poured through the letterbox earlier the same day, and the explosion went off at 9.30pm, hours later.
Tamsin Lakhana, 19, of Brooke Avenue, said: "It's scary to think it happened so close.
"If I found out it was murder I wouldn't be going out much. I can't imagine what the girl feels because I was shocked."
Detective Chief Inspector Sutton, who also led the investigation into convicted murderer Levi Bellfield, said he did not believe people in Harrow were at risk following the explosion.
He said: "I think if it was deliberate and if it targeted one individual who lived there, then there is nothing at all to suggest there is any danger to anyone else in Harrow."
A man died during the blast, who police believe to be 26-year-old Pakistani Emad Qureshi, and Detective Chief Inspector Sutton said his family, who are abroad, have been informed.
They have not yet formally identified the body.
Mr Qureshi was with a 26-year-old friend, who was visiting from Pakistan, when the explosion brought large parts of the house crashing down.
Police believe the friend's injuries were caused by the collapse of the building rather than the blast.
He said: "There were initially reports of a gas explosion which is obviously what we thought was likely.
"We still haven't ruled that out but the experts are telling us it is unlikely to be the cause.
"What I can say with absolute certainty is we are happy there is no link to any terrorist organisations or acts."
He added: "A strong line of inquiry is the disturbance at this address and the substance pushed through the letter box."
Detective Chief Inspector Sutton said the 17-year-old, who lived in the ground floor flat of 21, Stanley Road, had no major criminal convictions.
He said police will be talking to schools in the area as part of the investigation.
Anyone with information can contact the Met's incident room on 0208 247 7911, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
10:31pm Friday 9th May 2008
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