Waitrose fire - Man arrested for arson

Ruislip Waitrose was badly damaged in a fire earlier in the week. A man has now been arrested on suspicion of arson in relation to the incident.

The store has been left blackened and charred.

The store in Rusilip has been left badly damaged.

The supermarket building had been left burnt and charred

On Friday, 9 August, at approximately 22:52hrs, emergency services were called to a significant fire at Waitrose, located at 9 Kingsend, Ruislip. The incident saw a rapid response from both the Metropolitan Police and the London Fire Brigade, who managed to contain the fire.

The store, however, sustained severe damage and has been forced to close until further notice. Thankfully, there were no reports of injuries.

A 55-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and remains in custody as investigations continue. According to local residents, it is believed that the fire may have started when the belongings of a homeless person, who had been sleeping next to the store, were set alight.

A Waitrose spokesperson said:

"We're working hard and hope to reopen soon. In the meantime we thank customers for bearing with us. While a small number of deliveries have been rearranged, we're already in contact with these customers, and have put measures in place to resume the usual, full service for online orders from today."

The Metropolitan Police are working closely with the London Fire Brigade and other authorities to fully understand the circumstances surrounding this disturbing incident. They issued a statement via their website saying: "

On Friday, 9 August at 22:52hrs, police were alerted to a fire at Waitrose, 9 Kingsend, Ruislip, Middlesex.

Officers attended the scene alongside the London Fire Brigade who contained the fire.

There were no reports of any injuries.

A 55-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson.

The suspect remains in custody as the investigation continues. The Met Police are working closely with the LFB and other relevant authorities to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Anyone with any information is urged to call 101, quoting CAD 8098/09AUG24.

Residents with any information are urged to contact the police by calling 101, quoting CAD 8098/09AUG24.

Keep following Hillingdon Vision for the latest updates on this developing story.