Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s house in North London caught fire early on Monday, and British counter-terrorism police are helping with the inquiry. Although no one was hurt, the Metropolitan Police acknowledged that the fire damaged the home’s entryway in Kentish Town. A cordon is still in place as investigations are conducted after officers and emergency personnel reacted to the scene.
About 20 minutes after being summoned to a “small fire at 1.11 am local time (0011GMT),” the London Fire Brigade reported that the fire was contained. The Kentish Town Fire Station sent two fire engines to the location. Ten or so firefighters worked to put out the fire. The North London apartment, which has been rented out, is believed to still belong to Starmer, who presently dwells in his official Downing Street residence.
The prime minister has “thanked the emergency services for their work,” according to his official spokesperson, but he would not provide further information. He declined to comment on whether any of Starmer’s family members were present at the time of the event, saying,
“The matter was subject to a live investigation, so I can’t comment further.”
According to police,
“the fire is being investigated, and cordons remain in place while investigations continue.”
Following a string of suspected incidents at residences connected to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, British police also detained a 21-year-old man on suspicion of arson with intent to harm life, the Metropolitan Police reported Tuesday.
According to a statement from the Metropolitan Police, the suspect was arrested early on Tuesday and is still being held while the investigation is ongoing. Three distinct occurrences were recorded in north London prior to the arrest. The most recent one happened on Monday, when the London Fire Brigade notified authorities of a fire at a private apartment associated with Starmer in Kentish Town, NW5.
Police and fire department investigators were spotted at the residence. Motorists were briefly prohibited from using a section of the nearby street. The property has already been targeted. Three people were convicted of public order offences last year after a pro-Palestinian demonstration was held outside the same residence. Although the participation of counter-terrorism agents signals a serious line of inquiry, authorities have not stated whether the present investigation is investigating the incident as suspicious.
