Key Points
- Two 17-year-old boys have been found guilty of arson with intent to endanger life over the fire at Indian Aroma in Gants Hill, east London.
- The Old Bailey heard that the pair entered the restaurant on Woodford Avenue around 9pm on 22 August 2025 while it was full of diners and staff.
- They were armed with machetes and petrol was poured across the floor, furniture and people inside before the fire was ignited.
- The blaze caused critical burns to two customers and injuries to four others.
- The teenagers were also convicted of possessing a bladed weapon.
- Police said the motive remains unclear, and the pair were arrested two weeks after the attack.
- Sentencing has been listed for 2 October at the Old Bailey.
Gants Hill (East London Times) July 17, 2026 – Two 17-year-old boys have been convicted after a fireball attack at Indian Aroma on Woodford Avenue left diners with severe injuries, according to BBC News and other outlets reporting the Old Bailey verdict.bbc+1As reported by the BBC, the Metropolitan Police said the teenagers entered the restaurant at about 21:00 BST on 22 August 2025 while it was busy with customers.
The prosecution case described how petrol was spread inside the premises before a flame was lit, causing a fireball that tore through the restaurant.
The Standard also reported that one boy taunted customers while the other stood with a taper and lighter as fuel was poured over the floor, furniture and people inside.
The attack was carried out in a crowded setting, with diners and staff trapped in the middle of the incident. According to the BBC, the blaze left two people with critical burns and four others injured.
Earlier reporting by the BBC and Sky News said six people were injured in total, including three women and three men, and that a man and a woman suffered life-changing injuries.
What did the court hear at the Old Bailey?
The Old Bailey heard that the teenagers, who cannot be named because of their age, were also convicted of possession of a bladed weapon.
The Standard reported that the pair were armed with machetes when they stormed the restaurant, and that footage captured them fleeing the scene before getting into a Toyota Prius.
BBC News reported that the teenagers were arrested two weeks after the incident following a police investigation.
The same report said Detective Inspector Emma Sharp, who led the investigation, described the case as one that affected “numerous innocent individuals.”
The court also heard that police recovered items linked to the attack, including evidence from the vehicle, while the prosecution relied on CCTV and other forensic material.
Sentencing is due to take place at the Old Bailey on 2 October, and the defendants have been remanded in custody.
The Metropolitan Police said inquiries remain ongoing, indicating that officers are still dealing with the wider consequences of the case.
What injuries were caused?
The most serious injuries were suffered by two customers who were left with critical burns, according to BBC News and the Standard.
BBC News also said four others were injured in the attack. Earlier reports from Sky News and the BBC said that three women and three men were hurt, with one man and one woman remaining in hospital with life-changing injuries.
Initial reporting in August 2025 said there had been five injured people taken to hospital, with two others having left before emergency services arrived.
That reporting also noted that the fire brigade had to deal with damage to part of the ground floor and that several people managed to escape before crews arrived.
The sequence of reports shows that the scale of the injury count became clearer as the investigation and court proceedings progressed.
What have police and prosecutors said?
Police have said the motive for the attack has not been established. The Standard reported that investigators recovered a balaclava, trainers and other items that matched CCTV footage seen during the inquiry.
BBC News said officers found the pair’s trail through the investigation and arrested them after a two-week search.
At the time of the arrests, the Metropolitan Police urged anyone with information to come forward, saying the investigation remained active.
The force has also previously described the case as involving a large number of innocent victims and serious public harm.
In court, the prosecution framed the incident as a deliberate and highly dangerous act carried out in a crowded restaurant, rather than an accidental fire.
Why has the case drawn attention?
The case has drawn attention because it involved a packed family restaurant, machetes, petrol and a fireball that spread through the premises within moments.
It also sits within a wider pattern of reporting on knife-related offending and arson cases involving young suspects in London.
The restaurant, Indian Aroma, is on Woodford Avenue in Gants Hill, an area that saw intense media coverage because of the severity of the injuries and the age of the defendants.
The fact that the pair were juveniles meant they were covered by anonymity restrictions, which is why reports have referred to them as 17-year-old boys.
That legal protection is standard in youth proceedings and has limited the public identification of the defendants.
Background of the development
The incident dates back to the evening of 22 August 2025, when police and firefighters were called to Indian Aroma after a blaze engulfed the restaurant. Early reporting said arrests were made soon after the fire, with officers treating it as suspected arson with intent to endanger life.
As the investigation continued, further charges were brought and the case moved through the courts, eventually leading to the July 2026 guilty verdicts at the Old Bailey.
Court and police reporting showed how the case evolved from an emergency response into a major criminal prosecution. Initial hospital updates, witness accounts and CCTV evidence all helped shape the case presented to the jury.
The outcome also reflected the seriousness of the injuries, which were described in some reports as life-changing or critical.
What could this mean for restaurant diners?
For restaurant diners, the case is a reminder that violence in public venues can escalate quickly and leave lasting physical harm. It may also heighten concern about security at busy hospitality sites, especially where crowds make escape harder during an emergency.
For businesses in the food and hospitality sector, the development may increase attention on safety planning, staff training and rapid emergency response procedures.
For local communities in east London, the case is likely to remain a reference point in discussions about public safety and youth crime.
The sentencing outcome in October may shape how the incident is understood legally, but the immediate impact on the injured victims and witnesses is already clear from the court evidence reported so far.
