Four teenagers have been arrested after a fire at an Islamic boarding school in south-east London.
About 128 pupils and staff were evacuated from Darul Uloom School in Foxbury Avenue, Chislehurst, on Saturday.
Two 17-year-olds and two 18-year-olds were arrested on suspicion of arson on Sunday, the Metropolitan police said.
Police said the fire caused minor damage and two people were treated for the effects of smoke inhalation.
The teenagers are in custody at a south London police station.
Commander Simon Letchford told BBC London: “It’s only by luck that the fire attack didn’t prove to be fatal. Fortunately [it] was identified very quickly.”
A police spokesman said officers were asking members of the public to remain calm and not to speculate as to the cause of the fire.
He added: “There is an increased police presence around potentially vulnerable locations in the borough of Bromley and across London.”
Update: See “Teenagers bailed after Islamic Darul Uloom School fire”, BBC News, 10 June 2013
Update 2: Here, via EDL News, is a screenshot of EDL members responding to the report that the four arrested teenagers have been released on bail. Sample comments: “Hope they burn em all down” and “They are the next generation of the EDL welcome young soldiers”.
