Residents woken in the early hours by a horn blaring in a quiet Upper Clapton cul de sac were shocked to see two vans alight, with a fireball reaching 25 feet in the air.
Fire fighters were called just after 2am on Friday June 29 to Hillstowe Street, and many residents evacuated their homes until the blaze was under control 30 minutes later.
Vehicles on the other side of the road were also damaged following a series of exploding tyres, and an entire telephone mast was set alight, cutting off phone and internet access.
Witness Hamilton Hawksworth said he saw a white van arrive in the street, and two men emerge.
Not long after, a car drove up and the two men went to either side of the van before getting in the car, before the van caught alight 10 minutes later.
No arrests have been made and police are appealing for anyone with information to call 101.
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