Arson Attack on London Ambulance Service Destroys Four Ambulances, Hate Crime Charges Being Pursued

LONDON—A Jewish charity-owned ambulance service in London, United Kingdom, lost four ambulances in an apparent arson attack early Monday, March 23. The Metropolitan Police are treating the incident as a hate crime, the BBC reported.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade responded to the blaze with six engines and around 40 firefighters around 1:45 a.m., according to The Guardian. Gas cylinders on the ambulances exploded, leading to evacuations of nearby homes. The fire was contained within two hours, and no injuries have been reported.  

CCTV footage shows three suspects appearing to set fire to the four ambulances. An Iranian-linked group, Ashab Al Yamin, has claimed credit for the attack, the Jewish Chronical reported. No arrests have been made.

Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said the attack has not been declared a terror incident "at this stage," but that the investigation was now being led by counter-terror police and "all lines of inquiry remain open.”

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said in a statement to the BBC that the targeting of the volunteer ambulance service was "particularly sickening," adding that their "sole mission is to protect life, Jewish and non-Jewish alike.”

Hatzola is a large nonprofit, Jewish organization that provides free emergency medical response and transportation to hospitals for residents in the North London community of Golders Green. The volunteer company has operated in the area since 1979.

Laurence Blitz, speaking on behalf of Hatzola at the scene, said: “What happened overnight is shocking in the extreme. The emergency services were magnificent and we are deeply grateful. However our phones haven’t stopped, our volunteers are responding to callouts and our service continues unbroken.”

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described it as "a deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack", in a post on X. "Antisemitism has no place in our society and it's really important that we all stand together at a moment like this," he added.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said that the British government will replace the four ambulances, adding that the London Ambulance Service will provide extra cover in the area.