A 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm in connection to the attack which saw six people injured when they were sprayed with acid near the Stratford Centre in east London.
Pictures from the scene of a terrifying acid attack which rocked east London last night show a white substance thought to be the acid dripping from the doors of Stratford shopping centre.
Witnesses of the horrifying crime described how a gang of men sprayed noxious liquid into crowds outside the centre and at a next-door tube station causing widespread panic.
Dramatic video and images shared on social media show police treating victims behind a cordon at Stratford station where a white substance can be seen on the floor.
Witnesses described the panic in the moments after the mass attack as injured people hurried to wash their faces and limbs with water.
One man who was splashed in the face with acid could be heard screaming: ‘I can’t see, I can’t see’.
Police have ruled out terrorism. Witnesses claimed the substance was thrown by ‘young black teenage males’ after an argument broke out.
Three of the victims were rushed to hospital after they were sprayed with the liquid following an ‘altercation’ between the two groups of males.
Scotland Yard confirmed none of the injuries were either life-changing or life-threatening and they are now pouring over CCTV footage in a bid to aid their investigation.
Sprayed: A white substance thought to be the acid could be seen on the doors of the Stratford Centre after the attack
Six people were injured when a gang of men sprayed a noxious liquid into crowds outside the shopping centre and at a next door tube station causing widespread panic
A police cordon in Stratford tube station with what appears to be acid on the floor after victims were treated at the scene
Dramatic pictures from the scene shared on social media appeared to show police attending to victims at Stratford station
Officers have arrested a man after a gang sprayed acid into a crowd near Stratford Shopping Centre. Pictured: Police cars at the scene
Emergency services at Stratford Centre in east London after the attack at 8pm tonight. Cordons were set up around the areas where the acid was sprayed
Fire crews gathered outside the Stratford centre next to an area which had been cordoned off after the shocking attack
A policeman stands guard outside the Stratford centre after the acid attack at 8pm on Saturday which injured six
A map showing where the attack happened at the Stratford Centre and Stratford tube station. There were no reports of injuries at the nearby Westfield shopping centre
A Burger King assistant manager who gave his name as Hossen, 28, said he saw a victim and his friend run into the restaurant bathroom ‘to wash acid off his face’.
One guy had been hit in the face, he kept shouting I can’t see, I can’t see, I can’t see
He said: ‘There were cuts around his eyes and he was trying to chuck water into them.’
Inside the Burger King toilets water could be seen all over the floor along with toilet tissue and medical gloves.
Witness Zak Abdi, who had been shopping with friends, told Mirror Online: ‘I was about to leave the station and a few guys were scattering, and there were guys on the floor in agony, with their friends all around them.’
He said he saw a group of men running away from the police after the acid ‘hit a group of men who looked like they were en route to a club’.
He heard one man shouting ‘I can’t see, I can’t see, I can’t see’ after being splashed in the face.
Mr Abdi added: ‘Everyone was just jumping out of the way, trying to escape the whole thing. It was a scary moment for everyone.’
Imrana begum, 18, was working in Primark in Westfield when the attack happened.
She told MailOnline: ‘It is a huge shock, even though more of these attacks are happening.
‘I was folding clothes and suddenly everyone was like be careful, be careful there’s been a huge acid attack. Apparently people could hear screaming.’
Paul Gibson, assistant director of operations at London Ambulance Service, said: ‘We have sent a number of resources to the scene including paramedics in cars, ambulance crews, an incident response officer and our Hazardous Area Response Team.
‘So far, we have treated at least five patients at the scene and taken three patients to hospital. We remain on scene.’
The Metropolitan Police said: ‘Police were called just before 8pm to the area around Stratford Shopping Centre to reports of a group of males spraying what is believed to be a noxious substance.
‘London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade have attended.
‘A number of people have been reported injured at different locations – believed to be six people. We await further details.
Securing the perimeter: Police set up a cordon around the areas where the acid was sprayed by the gang on Saturday night
Police said: ‘One male has been arrested on suspicion of GBH. Officers remain on scene’. Pictured: Police cars at the scene
Witnesses described the panic in the moments after the mass attack. Pictured: Stratford centre in the wake of the assault
Paul Gibson, assistant director of operations at London Ambulance Service, said: ‘We have sent a number of resources to the scene’
Left: The Stratford shopping centre from above. Right: Police treat victims outside the shopping centre by a bus stop
Fire crews were called to the scene to treat victims as part of the rapid emergency response in the aftermath of the attack
On duty: Police guard the area outside the shopping centre alongside bags of evidence placed on the street
‘One male has been arrested on suspicion of GBH. Officers remain on scene. A cordon is in place. Enquiries continue. We can confirm that injuries are not life threatening or life changing.’
There were no reports of injuries from the Westfield shopping centre which is 200 yards from the Stratford shopping centre.
Nate Higgins, who saw the emergency services arriving at the scene, told MailOnline: ‘There were a lot of police, a lot of fire engines and a lot of ambulances.
‘As I was leaving there were still more and more coming down the road. I was in the shopping centre when it happened and as I was coming out I saw them all arriving.
‘There were at least 10 different vehicles and it didn’t seem to be a settled thing.’
Another witness Harry Green, 19, got off the tube in the moments after the incident. He told MailOnline he witnessed the ‘chaotic aftermath’.
‘There were police officers with dogs everywhere, the whole station was at a standstill,’ she said.
It was worrying as it was obvious something had just happened. It was just chaos.’
‘As we stepped off the tube there were dozens of people giving statements to officers looking distressed as though something had just happened.
‘We didn’t see anyone injured but there were lots of ambulances on the scene but it seems they were taken away pretty promptly.
‘We witnessed the aftermath, the emergency services seemed to have responded very quickly. There was a lot of confusion around, a lot of people didn’t know what had happened or why they were stuck in the station.’
By 11pm emergency services had left the scene but the shopping centre remained guarded as customary on a Saturday night.
A security guard told MailOnline the shopping centre doors – visibly stained by what is believed to be dangerous acid – would remain behind a cordon until police and fire service could return to take a sample.
Another witness Harry Green, 19, got off the tube in the moments after the incident. He told MailOnline he witnessed the ‘chaotic aftermath’.
The attack happened outside the Stratford centre, one of the largest shopping centres in London at 8pm on Saturday night
Witnesses saw dozens of ambulances and police cars racing to Stratford tube station in the east of the capital
‘I splashed water on his face’: Homeless man is hailed a hero for helping acid attack victims
By Katie French in Stratford for MailOnline
A homeless man has been described as a hero for his quick-thinking after a mass acid attack in Stratford Centre last night.
Paul Andrews, 57, was walking around the corner when he saw a sudden rush of people exiting the shopping centre in East London.
‘A lad was marching out of the centre, he had just had acid thrown in his face. You could see it dripping down his mouth.
MailOnline reporter Katie French interviews a homeless man who helped acid attack victims during the chaos
‘His mates were worked up, I said come here, took him into Burger King and shouted, “this boy has just been attacked with acid”. I said took him to the toilet and said stay here a minute and splashed water on his face. Someone called an ambulance.’
Mr Andrews, from Forrest Gate, described the victim as a black teenager and a West Ham supporter. He said he had a group of friends with him but was the only one injured. He said he was not crying but he could tel he was in a lot of pain.
When police turned up officers initially told Mr Andrews to ‘go away’ but later he said a policeman apologised when he realised he had helped in a potentially dangerous situation.
This isn’t the first time Mr Andrews has witnessed the aftermath of an attack. He was quick to help a woman after ammonia was thrown in her face while she was in McDonald’s at the Stratford Centre last year.
He said: ‘If I see anyone in distress I will try to help. You see a lot living on the streets. I saw a man killed in front of my eyes when he was hit by a car at 70mph.
‘I just think you’ve got to help if you can and that’s what I try to do.’
A security guard at the scene has allowed Mr Andrews to stay outside the centre this evening.
Mr Andrews, who has now been homeless for five years, said he ended up living on the streets after his father died.
He was left £7,000 in premium bonds, he said, but ended up in debt and then fell out with his disabled mother who he used to care for.
He told MailOnline he believed the area needed to be policed more. He said: ‘I was born in Forrest Gate so have lived here all my life but police need to do more.
‘I don’t even have a phone, it’s not worth it on the streets as it would get nicked.’
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