A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger and GBH after a dramatic flat fire erupted in New Cross today.
Firefighters,police and ambulance crews were called to Batavia Mews in Lewisham after an explosion was heard around 1:30pm and a fire was discovered.
One officer sustained burn injuries and has been taken to hospital, although her injuries are not thought to be serious.
Images quickly emerged of smoke billowing from the five-roomed flat, located above a flat by New Cross Road, and road closures were also put in place.
Photo by @_livjohnson_
Also caught on camera was a naked man on a nearby roof, thought to be escaping the fire, who is later thought to have been seen being taken into the back of a police van.
Lewisham MPS said a man, aged 40, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and GBH.
He has been taken to a south London police station and at this this stage, police say they do not believe the incident is terror related.
Goldsmiths University also tweeted out warning people of the incident which was occuring near their campus.
On Twitter they added that the flats were not university-owned, and were currently believed to be empty.
New Cross Road is closed from the Maquis of Granby pub up to Sainsbury's petrol station, so the A2 is closed in both directions.
The London Fire Brigade said that four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to the scene in Batavia Mews, New Cross.
Most of a five-roomed flat on the third floor of a building was reportedly alight, and most of it was destroyed in the blaze.
LFB say the fire was first reported at around 1:34pm, with fire crews from four local Lewisham stations at the scene, and the fire reportedly under control by around 4pm.
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