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Police probe fires at two properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Counter-terrorism police are investigating after two properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer were damaged in suspected arson attacks. | |
Emergency services were called to a fire at the prime minister's private home in Kentish Town, north London, in the early hours of Monday. | |
There was damage to the property's entrance but nobody was hurt, the Metropolitan Police said. | |
And just after 03:00 BST on Sunday, emergency services were called to a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington, a property that is also linked to Sir Keir. | |
One person was assisted to safety via an internal staircase by crews wearing breathing apparatus, London Fire Brigade said. | |
Police are also looking into a car fire as part of the probe. | |
Police officers search a bin in Kentish Town, north London. | Police officers search a bin in Kentish Town, north London. |
All three fires are being treated as suspicious and inquiries are ongoing. | |
The prime minister - who lives at his official residence in Downing Street - is understood to still own the Kentish Town property which he lived at before the general election, but it has been rented out since then. | |
Sir Keir has thanked the emergency services for their work, his official spokesman said. | Sir Keir has thanked the emergency services for their work, his official spokesman said. |
He added the matter was "subject to a live investigation so I can't comment further", and declined to provide any further details on who was in the property when the fire started. | |
Police earlier said that counter-terrorism officers were leading the probe "as a precaution and due to the property having previous connections with a high-profile public figure". | |
On the Kentish Town property fire, London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it had been called to a "small fire" at 01:11 BST on Monday that was under control about 20 minutes later. | |
It said about 10 firefighters and two fire appliances from Kentish Town Fire Station attended the incident. | |
London Fire Brigade said it was called to the fire at 01:11 BST | London Fire Brigade said it was called to the fire at 01:11 BST |
A Metropolitan Police statement said: "Officers attended the scene. Damage was caused to the property's entrance, nobody was hurt. | |
"The fire is being investigated and cordons remain in place while enquiries continue." | "The fire is being investigated and cordons remain in place while enquiries continue." |
It later emerged that just before 03:00 on Thursday, firefighters were called to a small car fire on the same street. The fire was brought under control by 03:30. | |
At just after 03:00 on Sunday, firefighters were called to the Islington fire. | |
The Kentish Town house has previously been targeted by protesters. Last year, three people were found guilty of public order offences after staging a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside it. | The Kentish Town house has previously been targeted by protesters. Last year, three people were found guilty of public order offences after staging a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside it. |
On Monday afternoon, investigators could still be seen outside the property with local residents being allowed through the tape as they returned home from work. |