TikTok family's South London home targeted in suspected arson attack
(Video: TikTok/The Smithy Family)
The London home of a family who shot to fame on TikTok has been targeted in a suspected arson attack.
Videos posted online show the burnt out remains of a car parked outside the scorched property near Bexleyheath.
More than two million people follow the antics of The Smithy Family who became so successful dad Nick gave up the day job to focus on his social media stardom.
Speaking after the fire broke out Nick said: "We all got out the house OK, the kids are fine... the dogs are OK. The house is not OK. The kids are at a safe place.
"To the people who have done this, you could have killed our family and not only our family, my neighbours, my friends. It's unforgivable."
London Fire Brigade said flames appeared to spread to the house from a burning car on the driveway.
"We were called to reports of a car alight that had spread up the outside of the house. There were a number of mobility scooters parked outside which had caught alight and were producing a large amount of smoke and flames.
"Everyone was out of the building before we arrived, and crews worked incredibly hard to prevent further damage to the inside of the property and to neighbouring properties."
The Smithy Family's TikTok videos began with dad Nick posting pranks and sketches of family life in lockdown which helped them clock up a staggering 268 million 'likes'.
Speaking earlier this year Nick said their new-found fame felt "surreal".
"It's crazy really. I'm not going out to work anymore, stressing, worrying. We're having fun, it involves the kids and it's made life so much better," he told ITV News London.
More than 20 firefighters were called to the scene on Wednesday night and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
"Officers and the London Fire Brigade attended and the fire was extinguished at approximately 00:30hrs," police said in a statement.
"The cause of the fire is under investigation. There have been no injuries. No arrests have been made and enquiries continue," police added.