Girl critical in blast is from North East

May 13 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

A TEENAGER badly injured after an explosion at her home in London is from the North East, police have revealed.

Charlotte Anderson suffered severe burns following the blast which left one man dead and reduced three homes to rubble in Harrow last week.

The 17-year-old was transferred to London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where she remains in a stable condition in the burns unit.

Detectives at the Metropolitan Police, who have launched a murder inquiry, are investigating the possibility that Miss Anderson, who moved to Harrow from the North East six months ago, was the intended target of the attack by a gang of girls.

Her neighbour Emmad Qureshi, a 26-year-old graduate from Pakistan, was killed during the explosion which ripped through homes last Wednesday around 9.40pm.

A purple substance, which has not yet been identified, was poured through the letter box of Miss Anderson’s flat in Stanley Road, early that day.

The teenager had earlier reported a group of females outside the property causing a disturbance.

Police have confirmed that during the phone call she reported that the group had moved away and confirmed that she no longer required assistance.

It is thought that she knew the group, who have not yet been caught, and residents had reported arguments between two girls in the area over a boy.

Miss Anderson was pulled from the rubble by neighbours and taken to hospital. A 26-year-old man, a friend of Mr Qureshi, was also transferred to hospital with head and arm injuries.

Det Ch Insp Colin Sutton said: “We still haven’t ruled out a gas explosion but experts say it is unlikely to be the cause.

“What we can say is that we are happy there is no link to any terrorist organisation or acts here..”

Charlotte’s mother Elaine is said to have travelled down from the region to be at her bedside.