Teen arrested after 14-year-old girl dies in London flat fire

A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 14-year-old girl died in a fire at a block of flats in east London.

The Metropolitan Police said five others were also injured in the blaze, which is being treated as arson, but they have since been discharged from hospital. The fire broke out at around 5.28pm on Thursday in Beckton, Newham.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) said the teenage girl who died was found in a second-floor flat and was pronounced dead at the scene. A spokesperson for LFB said: “The stairwell from the ground floor to the second floor of a residential block was destroyed by fire. Half of the second floor was also damaged by the blaze.”

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Police confirmed this afternoon that a 16-year-old boy had been arrested on suspicion on murder.

Officers sealed off a section of Tollgate Road and fire engines remain at the scene. Forensics officers were also seen arriving at the crime scene on Friday morning.

Chief Superintendent Simon Crick, who leads the north east command unit, said: “My thoughts at this time are with the victim and their family and friends.

“Incidents such as these send shockwaves through our communities and I don’t underestimate the impact this will have in the local area and beyond.

“Your officers will be on patrol in the immediate vicinity over the Easter Weekend, please talk to them if you have any concerns.”

Today, flowers have been placed at the scene of the flat fire. Two girls were seen hugging and crying as they placed flowers on the pavement outside the apartment block in Beckton.

Earlier on Friday morning, two women, a man and a girl were seen placing six bunches of flowers, including roses and