London tower block evacuated as man barricades himself in flat and threatens to blow up entire building

Police arrest man after four-hour standoff in Barking

Police have evacuated Earlsdown House in Barking after a man barricaded himself in a seventh-floor flat and threatened to set it alight (Google Street View)

A man has been arrested after allegedly barricading himself inside a flat in east London and threatening to burn the building down.

Scotland Yard said the man was detained on suspicion of criminal damage and intent to endanger life after a four-hour standoff at Earlsdown House in Barking.

Police negotiators were sent to the scene at 8.40pm on Tuesday, following reports a man had threatened to “blow the flat up”.

Officers later forced their way into a flat on the seventh floor of the building and detained a man at around 1.10am.

He was taken to a local hospital as a precaution in relation to a pre-existing medical condition.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman told The Independent the entire 12-storey tower block had been evacuated as a precaution.

Officers began clearing residents out of the building at 10.20pm.

All residents evacuated from the building were gathered at a local community centre in Barking for the duration of the incident.

No injuries have been reported.