An arsonist started a fire in a stairwell of a Golders Green apartment building where most of the residents are Jewish, and many are young families, the Shomrim organization in London reported.

The incident began when a fire alarm went off in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Residents reported that they witnessed a suspect deliberately setting a fire in the stairwell. He fled the scene when confronted by residents.

One of the residents acted quickly to extinguish the fire, preventing what could have turned into a far more serious incident. B’Chasdei Hashem, no injuries were reported.

Shomrim volunteers collected evidence believed to belong to the arsonist and transferred it to the police.

The disturbing incident comes less than a month after two Jews were seriously injured in a stabbing incident in Golders Green and two months after four Hatzolah ambulances were set on fire in Golders Green.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)