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Sheikh Salam outside the wrecked flat on the top floor |
Arrest follows dramatic rooftop rescue from fire
Primrose Hill residents evacuated as fire wrecks their top-floor neighbour’s flat
POLICE have made an arrest after a woman had to be dramatically rescued from a fire in a housing block in Primrose Hill which left her flat in ruins.
No charges have been brought so far in the investigation and detectives are not revealing name, age or gender of the person whom they held yesterday (Wednesday).
The inquiry began after a rooftop rescue late on Tuesday night at the housing association block in Auden Place. The woman, believed to be Caroline Dyott, was said to have climbed onto the roof to escape the flames in her studio flat.
She was treated on the top of the building while firefighters from Belsize, Kentish Town and Euston battled with the fire for more than an hour.
Evacuated tenants stood in the street outside in their pyjamas. Rescue teams were alerted after somebody heard the top flat’s window crash to the ground.
The rescued woman is understood to be receiving treatment for smoke inhalation at the University College London Hospital in Euston.
Yesterday (Wednesday), the blackened remains of her flat could be seen from the street.
“I opened my door and the corridor was full of smoke,” said one neighbour. “When I heard the crackling fire, I was really scared. It was an inferno. I thought the whole building was going to blow up with the fuses and gas. I ran up the floors, banged on people’s doors and screamed through the letter boxes ‘Get out!’,” said the woman from the first floor who didn’t want to be named.
Ms Dyott was described as an artist in her 50s who had lived in the flat for at least 10 years.
Una Doyle, who lives in one of the blocks, said: “She is a wonderful artist, she did some water colours and charcoal drawing of my daughter.”
When the New Journal visited Auden Place yesterday morning (Wednesday), neighbours were crowding around in front of the building asking each other “How is Caroline?”.
Some were cleaning off the ashes and soot that had showered onto their cars. A pile of burnt records, clothes and books were scattered on the ground outside the block.
“Isn't that sad? That’s her life scattered down here”, observed another resident.
Jim Gorman, maintenance manager of One Housing Group, which manages the block, said the woman's belongings were deliberately thrown to the floor by firefighters.
“They do that to avoid potential hotspots before they leave the site because some things like books might catch fire again,” he said.
One of the fire crew at Belsize told the New Journal last night (Wednesday): “It was quite a severe fire; the whole place was burnt. When we went into the property, we saw the lady outside. She had escaped onto the roof, where some of us were treating her because the air was fairly pure out there.
“The whole living room and kitchen was burnt.”
Apart from minor water damage in kitchen and toilets, neighbours have been unaffected by the fire.
“My wife and my mother are very upset", said second-floor neighbour Sheikh Salam, who had to carry his disabled mother out of the smoking building.
His wife and baby of two months were moved to temporary accommodation.
Peter Fabbri, another resident, said: “We’ve got minimal damage in our toilet, but we are all safe.
“We were standing outside from 11 to 2.30am, so I need to get some sleep now.”
Performer Al Pillay, who lives nearby, said: “It is deeply upsetting when you see someone’s home go up in flames.”
A police spokeswoman said: “One person has been arrested and enquiries continue.” No further information was released last night. |
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