Dagenham dad speaks of fears after grenade explodes in flat hallway

A dad-of-three says he is living in fear after a grenade exploded in the hallway of the Dagenham block of flats where he lives with his family.

A shell detonated on the second floor of Steadman House, Uvedale Road at about 4.30am on Saturday morning, smashing windows, perforating walls and filling the communal area with smoke.

Hussan Amrousidir said: “When I think about it, I am very scared because this is about our safety. I think, are we the targets?

“Who is behind this and has he got more bombs? They didn’t put it on the bottom floor, they went upstairs to the second floor and put it there.”

Hussan, who lives on the first floor, says the loud bang shook him and his wife, Samira, awake as well as their two daughters, aged nine and two years old, and their seven-year-old son.

“I have never heard something like that in my life before, and I am nearly 50 years old,” Hussan said. “It was very strong, I jumped from my bed and quickly got my kids and took them to the balcony because we thought that we might have to jump.”

The couple say they are concerned about security in the block as the main door is currently being left unlocked while the council installs a new entry system.

Hussan initially thought that the noise was a gas explosion and was shocked when police told him that it was a suspected grenade.

“We are very worried because it is not something you see everyday and it is not something that you want to see everyday,” he added.

Samira, who was involved in a car accident the day after the explosion which she says was caused by worry and stress, said: “We feel like we can’t trust anyone now.

“Some of our neighbours have gone away because they are scared but we have nowhere to go.”

Detectives from Barking and Dagenham Police say the blast is not being linked to terrorism. No arrests have been made.