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#Transgender women and gay man targeted in Whitechapel arson attack hate crime, Met Police say
A devastating fire that tore through a flat in London’s East End is being treated by Scotland Yard as a transphobic hate crime.
The inhabitants are said to have just escaped the suspected arson attack which ripped through an apartment on the fifth floor of a six-storey block in #Whitechapel last Friday.
Chief inspector Dave Hodges said: “This is a live hate crime investigation with active lines of inquiry.
A Gofundme page set up to raise money for the flat’s three residents, two #trans women and a #gay man, described the fire as “one of the most terrifying situations any of them have had to face”.
It claims that the building’s fire alarms did not sound, and says “the outcome would have been fatal” had one of the residents not been awake and heard an explosion from her window, at the other end of the flat.
Around 25 firefighters in four engines were scrambled to the blaze in Whitechapel High Street at roughly 6.15am on April 14, after 14 separate people called 999 to report it.
They spent nearly an hour tackling the flames, which were under control by 7.10am.
Jack Gilbert, local resident and member of the NSY #LGBTQI+ Independent Advisory Group, said: “I am pleased the local police are investigating this as a hate crime. This means they know it will impact trust and confidence, and as a result have instituted the Gold Group process.
Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting reference CAD 1185/14Apr. To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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