This dramatic footage shows the moment a vicious blaze, started by a teenage arsonist, tears through a block of flats in Acton - forcing some residents to leap for their lives.

Kastoytis Metlovas started the fire and four others in the surrounding area early during the early hours of October 11 last year in the space of two hours.

Police in Ealing on Thursday (May 4) released footage of the most serious blaze, at Horn Lane, which saw residents jumping from their windows to escape the flames.

Posting on the Ealing beat Facebook page, officers in Ealing said it was “only by sheer luck that no-one lost their lives” and praised the work of firefighters.

Metlovas, 19, of Churchfield Road in Acton, has been jailed for nearly seven years.

Kastoytis Metlovas started five fires in Acton within the space of two hours

Scotland Yard said he started the Horn Lane fire at 4.22am. Nine people, including children, were rescued and two were taken to hospital with minor injuries after breathing in smoke.

The fire ripped through the four-storey building causing massive structural damage and took six fire engines to bring under control.

Speaking at the time, London Fire Brigade (LFB) said at one stage the whole of the third floor and roof was alight.

Station manager Carl St Paul, who was at the scene, said: “The initial crews worked exceptionally hard to rescue men, women and children from the blaze which was well developed.”

The fire was brought under control at around 6.30am.

But by that time, Metlovas had already started a series of smaller fires in the area, striking at Lynton Road at 5.03am, Hereford Road at 5.18am, Spencer Road at 5.45am and Maldon Road at 6.13pm, causing what police described “as further stress on the LFB’s resources, damage to property and danger to life”.

Detectives from the whole of Ealing CID worked throughout the day, conducting extensive CCTV and witness enquiries.

Metlovas was arrested and charged two days later (October 13) with arson with intent to endanger life and five counts of arson.

Fire crews dousing the building in Horn Lane, Acton

At court, the teenager pleaded guilty to the charges and was jailed for six years and eleven months.

DC Joe Cato of Acton CID said, “This was an extremely dangerous situation involving a number of Arson attacks throughout the Acton area.

"[These] included a residential premises being set alight in the early hours of the morning, forcing residents to jump out of windows in order to escape the burning building.”

Metlovas was also sentenced for possession with intent to supply Class-A drugs. He was jailed at Isleworth Crown Court on April 7.

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