Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish volunteer emergency service in London were set on fire in an arson attack early Monday, the police said, adding that the attack was being investigated as an antisemitic hate crime.
At around 1:45 a.m. local time, the police were called to Golders Green, a residential area in North London with a large Jewish community, where four ambulances belonging to the nonprofit service Hatzola had been set on fire, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. The police were alerted by the fire department, which had dozens of firefighters at the scene at one point.
No injuries were reported and the fires were extinguished, the police said, adding: “The arson attack is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.”
Superintendent Sarah Jackson of the Metropolitan Police said in the statement that no arrests had been made, but three suspects were being sought.
“We know this incident will cause a great deal of community concern and officers remain on scene to carry out urgent enquiries,” she said, adding that investigators were examining CCTV footage.
Nearby houses had been evacuated as a precaution and some roads were closed, the police said.
Gas cylinders on the vehicles exploded during the fire, causing windows to break in an adjacent apartment building, the London Fire Brigade said in a statement, adding that around 40 firefighters were called to the scene.
Police officers will carry out additional patrols in the area to provide reassurance and a visible presence, the Metropolitan Police said.
Yan Zhuang is a Times reporter in Seoul who covers breaking news.
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