One of the longest-ever police sieges in Britain has ended after police said they had found a body inside a building.
It is thought the body is that of Eli Hall (32) who had been in the Hackney bedsit since St Stephen's Day. A Scotland Yard spokesman said the body was seen lying near a back door on the first floor.
But due to fears over the structural instability of the building, it is thought police will be unable to recover the body and formally identify it until later today.
The police spokesman said: "Next of kin have been informed. However, we will not be able to confirm a name until positive identification can take place".
Armed police yesterday spent hours trying to extinguish a fire at the premises.
Police said loud bangs heard at the scene last night were distraction grenades set off so armed officers could do an external search of the premises, looking in through windows. The matter has now been voluntarily referred to the Police Complaints Authority.
Although the building had been on fire all day, police were not sure whether Mr Hall had survived the blaze.
There had been an exchange of fire at 9.15 a.m. when Mr Hall fired three shots at police from the second floor of the building. Officers later fired CS rounds into an area away from the blaze where they believed Mr Hall could be hiding, but there was no response.
PA