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Police probe explosion at tycoon's property
Felix Allen2 Jul 2009
Detectives were today searching for clues to a “suspicious” gas explosion that destroyed a shop owned by one of Britain's wealthiest men.
One man was left fighting for his life and two others were also injured in the blast in Hendon, northwest London. Police said it was a “miracle” more people were not hurt.
The explosion, in a flat in Bell Lane, also wrecked the shop below it, which is owned by a company belonging to property tycoon Leo Noe, who is worth £600million.
The jewish businessman, ranked 70th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2009, left a wedding to rush to the scene in his Bentley to inspect the damage.
Detectives said they do not believe it was a racist attack.
Thirty residents were evacuated as firefighters put out the resulting fire in the early hours of yesterday.
A 39-year-old man seen emerging from the flat was today in a critical condition in a specialist burns unit, police said.
A woman aged 26 suffered glass injuries to her leg and a man of 31 sustained a back injury, thought to be from the force of the blast.
An elderly lady whose home backs on to the parade of shops was treated for shock after her windows blew out.
A neighbour said: “There was a mighty bang. We thought it was probably a bomb going off, then we heard shattering glass which was my daughter's bedroom window being wrecked, and all the car alarms going off.”
Mr Noe's spokesman Shimon Cohen said: “The explosion took place in the flat, which is not owned by Leo Noe.
“The shop was damaged, but we are not concerned about that - our only concern is for the people who were injured.”
The cause of the fire is not known but police
Fire brigade investigators established the cause of the fire was a gas explosion and handed the investigation over to police.
Detectives from Barnet CID said today they were treating the incident as suspicious and appealed for witnesses.
Det Sgt Mark Tyrrell: “The explosion and resulting fire caused massive damage to the premises and has affected properties in the surrounding area.
“It is a miracle that not more people were hurt as a result.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Barnet CID on 020 8733 4595 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Reader views (2)
Deb,uk - Do you work for Barnet CID then?
- Dave W, London, 02/07/2009 10:33
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why does a newspaper feel the need to write 'Detectives said today they were treating the incident as suspicious'..... just to pull in the readers?
no it is not being treated as suspicious!
- Deb, uk, 02/07/2009 09:55
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