Blast victim died from neck injury

Updated 18.38 Sat May 10 2008
Keywords: Emad Qureshi, explosion, north London, Harrow

A man killed in a house explosion died from neck injuries caused by flying debris, a post-mortem has revealed.

Emmad Qureshi, 26, was killed in the blast in Stanley Road, Harrow, northwest London, on Wednesday night.

"Whoever did this, if it is what we think it is, it was targeted - it was not a random person going around blowing up flats in Harrow" - Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton

His body was found in rubble after the explosion, which is believed to have originated in the house next door.

Mr Qureshi's friend, a 26-year-old man, suffered head and arm injuries in the blast, and a 17-year-old girl was left with serious burns. They are both still in hospital.

Police believe the teenager could have been the target of the attack, after it emerged she complained about two teenage girls outside her flat on the morning of the explosion.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said a purple liquid that smelled of rotten eggs was poured through her letterbox between 9am and 11am that day.

Officers will bring in experts to identify the liquid once they can access the blast site.

Detective Chief Inspector 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."

He said he believed that the 17-year-old knew the two girls and that they might have gone to the same school or college.

"They are obviously people she knows, who were there to do her some harm," he said.

"Whoever did this, if it is what we think it is, it was targeted - it was not a random person going around blowing up flats in Harrow."

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