CCTV footage has captured the terrifying moment a masked attacker firebombed the family home of an imam in Bolton. The incident occurred on Eastgrove Avenue in the Sharples area of Bolton last night (Wednesday), where a person wearing a helmet and dark clothing was seen running onto the driveway before setting the property ablaze.
Attack on Imam's Home
Imam Hassan Patel, 42, lives at the property with his wife, four young children, and his nephew. He expressed shock at the attack, stating, 'I am shaken by it all really, and the children are shaken. It is a quiet community. We have not had any issues before.'
Mr Patel serves as the principal for Islamic Education at the Taiyabah Masjid mosque on Blackburn Road and is an imam at Masjid e Aish on Seymour Road. He confirmed that police are investigating the incident. 'Everybody is concerned. They are asking why this has happened. The police are investigating. We want to thank everybody who has sent messages. We really appreciate the community coming together,' he told the Manchester Evening News.
The Attack Unfolds
In the footage, a person can be seen holding a bag in one hand and another item in the other, from which he pours liquid. The object then bursts into flames on the driveway, and it is thrown toward the front of the home. The individual then smashes a window at the front of the house and pours more liquid onto the fire, which quickly spreads. The clip captures the male grabbing the backpack and fleeing the scene.
No one was hurt in the blaze, which started just after 9pm. Mr Patel's son, Umair Yusuf, 19, described how the fire was quickly extinguished by his younger brother using buckets of water and a hose pipe. Umair said, 'My mother, two brothers and sister, and my cousin were in the house. The neighbours reported that there were two individuals dressed all in black driving up and down the street on a motorbike. One of my brothers was outside at the time. He saw they saw him and looked at him.'
Community Response
Umair added, 'We feel that it was racially motivated. We feel that it was targeted to this house. One person stays on the motorbike and the other intentionally walks up and calmly did what he did. He knew exactly what he was doing.' He described how his younger brother heard a noise and the smashing of windows, quickly got a hosepipe, and brought it outside. 'He was screaming. He put the fire out from the outside as my brother, cousin and mother put the fire out with buckets of water. The immediate threat of the house being burnt down was put out before the fire service came.'
Neighbours came out onto the street to support the family. Umair said, 'We are all traumatised and so are the local community. The police have said they are investigating at the moment. My father is very well respected by a lot of people in the community. There were a lot of people here in solidarity with us. The community is very close. It is like one big family and they showed us that yesterday when we were all standing together. It could have been a whole lot worse. If it had happened at night and we were all sleeping, who knows what might have happened.'
Official Response
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said, 'Just after 9.15pm on Wednesday 10 June, fire crews from Bolton North and Farnworth attended a house fire on Eastgrove Avenue, Bolton. Crews arrived quickly and worked alongside Greater Manchester Police to make the area safe. No casualties were reported. Firefighters departed after approximately an hour and a half.'
Greater Manchester Police are continuing their investigation into the attack.
