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| Stratford 'acid attack': Eight people injured near shopping centre in east London | Stratford 'acid attack': Eight people injured near shopping centre in east London |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Metropolitan Police has confirmed eight people were injured in an apparent mass acid attack in Stratford, east London. | |
| Its officers were called to Stratford Shopping Centre in the London borough of Newham just before 8pm, a spokesman told The Independent. | Its officers were called to Stratford Shopping Centre in the London borough of Newham just before 8pm, a spokesman told The Independent. |
| The force said a "group of males" were reported as having sprayed "what is believed to be a noxious substance" and eight victims were injured in a number of locations. | |
| One person has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, it said. | One person has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, it said. |
| Witnesses at the scene said an argument broke out among a group of people in the Stratford Centre, which is a much smaller shopping mall than its sprawling neighbour, the Westfield Centre. | Witnesses at the scene said an argument broke out among a group of people in the Stratford Centre, which is a much smaller shopping mall than its sprawling neighbour, the Westfield Centre. |
| A man who gave his name as Hossen, 28, a Burger King assistant manager, said he saw a victim and his friend, a known local homeless man, run into the fast food outlet's toilets "to wash acid off his face". | |
| He said: "There were cuts around his eyes and he was trying to chuck water into them." | He said: "There were cuts around his eyes and he was trying to chuck water into them." |
| Another witness, Zak Abdi, who shared footage from Stratford train station, told the Mirror Online he saw a substance thrown at a group of men "who looked like they were on their way to a club". | |
| "It didn't hit just one person, it hit a crowd of people. One guy had been hit in the face, he kept shouting 'I can't see, I can't see, I can't see'. | "It didn't hit just one person, it hit a crowd of people. One guy had been hit in the face, he kept shouting 'I can't see, I can't see, I can't see'. |
| "I think he has lost his vision. He kept shouting, it was a scary moment for everyone." | "I think he has lost his vision. He kept shouting, it was a scary moment for everyone." |
| Nate Higgins, 20, told the Independent he left Westfield shopping centre at around 8.30p,. | Nate Higgins, 20, told the Independent he left Westfield shopping centre at around 8.30p,. |
| "I was in Westfield and I came out and saw all the police and ambulances. | "I was in Westfield and I came out and saw all the police and ambulances. |
| "People weren't panicking. It seemed like it was settled. But as I was leaving more and more ambulances and fire engines were showing up. | "People weren't panicking. It seemed like it was settled. But as I was leaving more and more ambulances and fire engines were showing up. |
| "There were more fire engines than I've ever seen in one place." | "There were more fire engines than I've ever seen in one place." |
| Inside the Burger King toilets, water could reportedly be seen all over the floor, along with toilet tissue and medical gloves. | Inside the Burger King toilets, water could reportedly be seen all over the floor, along with toilet tissue and medical gloves. |
| Other eyewitness accounts said a group of males roamed the centre apparently picking off their victims, with several people posting footage of the aftermath on social media. | Other eyewitness accounts said a group of males roamed the centre apparently picking off their victims, with several people posting footage of the aftermath on social media. |
| Victims appear to be receiving treatment in Stratford train centre, which is directly opposite the shopping centre and close to the Olympic Park. | Victims appear to be receiving treatment in Stratford train centre, which is directly opposite the shopping centre and close to the Olympic Park. |
| Panicked commuters can be seen fleeing the scene in the images. | Panicked commuters can be seen fleeing the scene in the images. |
| The incident is not being treated as terror-related, Scotland Yard said in a statement. | The incident is not being treated as terror-related, Scotland Yard said in a statement. |
| Paramedics and firefighters were also called, and a cordon remains in place. | |
| A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 8.07pm to an incident in Great Eastern Road, E15. | |
| “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.” | |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |