A grim discovery followed a house fire in Dagenham, prompting a homicide investigation led by the Metropolitan Police. The incident occurred at a residence on Oval Road North around 5:40 PM on Saturday, 27 July.
Upon arrival, emergency responders from the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service joined police at the scene. Firefighters, after forcing entry into the home, located the body of a man in his 70s. Efforts to notify his next of kin are underway, with a post-mortem examination scheduled for 29 July at Queen’s Hospital Mortuary.
Given the circumstances surrounding the blaze, authorities are treating the fire as suspicious. Homicide detectives are actively working with fire investigation teams to unravel the sequence of events that led to the man’s death.
In addition to the fire investigation, police are exploring potential connections between this incident and other recent events in the area. A male suspect has been arrested and is currently held in police custody, pending further investigation.
The Metropolitan Police are urging anyone with information, or witnesses who were in the vicinity before the fire broke out, to come forward. Information can be shared by calling the police on 101 with the reference 5619/27Jul or anonymously through Crimestoppers.
This investigation is ongoing, and updates will be provided as more details become available. The community is advised to stay clear of the area to allow unimpeded access to emergency services as they continue their work.
