Man confirmed dead after incendiary devices thrown at migrant centreon October 30, 2022 at 7:45 pm

Flammable devices have been thrown at a Border Force migrant processing centre in Dover, Kent.

A man drove up to the centre and threw three petrol bombs, before killing himself, Reuters reported.

The fire at the centre on The Viaduct was put out at about 11:25 GMT, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said.

Police did not confirm the report that a man had died and inquiries are ongoing. A motive for the attack has not been given.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman described the incident as “distressing”.

Posting to Twitter, she said: “I am receiving regular updates on the situation. My thoughts are with those affected, the tireless Home Office staff and police responding. We must now support those officers as they carry out their investigation.”

Earlier Nathalie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for Dover, said she understood the attacker had killed himself.

A Kent Police spokesman said police had been called at 11:22 GMT. One minor injury was reported and the suspect has been identified.

“Officers established that two to three incendiary devices had been thrown into a Home Office immigration premises,” the spokesman said.

The investigation is being led by Kent Police and not counter-terrorism officers.

By Michael Keohan, BBC Radio Kent, Dover

The emergency service presence still remains very visible at Dover, with the police, fire and Army all assisting with the investigation into what happened shortly after 11:20 this morning.

Shakespeare Beach is still under part of the police cordon, as well as the Jet Foil immigration centre.

Locals who were drinking in the Cinque Port pub told me the scene this morning was “carnage and chaos”.

An eye witness said the smoke “went well into the air, and the smell and noise was like a war zone”.

Police have told me the cordon will remain up until investigations have concluded and the area can be declared safe.

Ms Elphicke said she was “absolutely shocked and appalled” by the incident.

She said “tensions have been rising” over the numbers of migrants arriving in the town. She said she had spoken to the immigration minister following the attack.

“I have expressed my concerns over security of the centre in Dover. I don’t think this is the appropriate place for a migrant-receiving centre. Dover is an extremely busy and open port.”

Speaking to LBC radio, Ms Elphicke said people at the migrant centre were being “looked after” following the “dreadful” attack.

She said the motivation of the perpetrator was so far unknown, but the centre is “a well-known facility” where small boats arrive before people are taken to the Manston asylum processing centre in Kent.

“It’s an absolutely dreadful situation that we have now at Dover,” she said. “I understand that all the people who are at the centre are being looked after and precautions are being made for their safety”.

Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick said he was being updated on the incident by Kent Police.

Mr Jenrick will visit both Dover and the Manston processing centre to “take charge of the situation”, Ms Elphicke added.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “We are aware of an incident at Western Jet Foil, Dover and police are in attendance.

“It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”

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