This was the dramatic scene moments after a car which sped away from police collided with a motorcyclist.
Witnesses described seeing the motorcyclist thrown from the machine moments before it exploded into a ball of flame.
The accident took place in Islington just north of the City after police tried to pull over a Nissan Qashqai car in Copenhagen Street.
The car sped off and collided with a motorcyclist in St John Street about a quarter of a mile away at around 11.15am yesterday.
The Qashqai landed on its side in the busy street.
Xavier Keane, 48, an acupressure therapist, said there was a loud explosion and a plume of smoke after the crash.
One witness, a 28-year-old teacher, who did not want to be named, said: “I was in our flat on St. John Street when I heard an explosion. I saw a plume of fire rising into the air and people on the street running towards it.
“I went downstairs and saw glass all over the road, there was an unmarked police car in front of a ball of fire, a policeman from the car was running toward an injured motorcyclist on the other side of the road. He was lying on the floor being attended to by another police officer.
“It was a chaotic scene and at first I thought it was a terrorist attack because it was a really loud explosion.”
He said other bystanders said the car was being pursued by police when the accident took place.
Xavier Keane, 48, an acupressure therapist, said there was a loud explosion and a plume of smoke after the crash.
He said he saw the motorcyclist being treated on the pavement outside the Finsbury Library.
Scotland Yard said a 29-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken to a north London police station for questioning.
A spokesman denied there was a police pursuit of the Nissan car.
The motorcyclist, a man in his mid 60s, suffered a leg injury and was taken to hospital. His condition was not said to be life threatening.
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