Model Isobella Fraser, 22, relives horror of East London nightclub acid attack that left her severely burned and injured 12 others including Jamie O’Hara’s cousin
AN Australian model who was badly burned in a terrifying East London nightclub acid attack has revealed she feared she was being gassed in a terrorist atrocity.
Isobella Fraser, 22, compared it to the chemical weapons attack in Syria, saying she "couldn't breathe" as brawling maniacs flung the corrosive liquid at a dozen revellers.
Isobella suffered appalling burns to her back and arm as the acid melted her clothes into her skin at Mangle in Dalston in the early hours of Easter Monday.
Her sister Prue, 20, a nanny and part-time model, was also injured on her arm as attackers sprayed acid from a water bottle on a crowd of clubbers including Jamie O'Hara's cousin Sadie Wright, who had burns to her face and scalp.
Isobella said today: "I thought we were getting gassed. I thought it was a terrorist attack or something. I was freaking out just because of all the things that have been happening.
"I actually couldn't breathe and I was coughing. And then I just felt this thing on my arm and then I realised it was some sort of acid."
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She added: "I could see the fight going on for about five minutes, the guys were bickering and pushing each other, but I thought I was away from it.
"Then one of the guys ran into me and I fell on the floor. I don't know whether he threw the acid on me or it was on his shirt and dripped onto me.
"My whole dress was wet and I could smell gas, it was making me cough. I thought someone had scratched my back but when I looked at my dress it was melted to my back and there was a massive hole in it.
"Doctors don't know exactly what the substance was but I am sure it is going to leave me scarred – at the moment I have a huge purple mark on my back.
"I'm planning to get out of modelling, but if I was staying in the industry I would be really worried about the scarring.
"I had never heard of this happening but apparently acid attacks are quite common in the UK. It just really freaks you out.
"It was like the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria – we are lucky that this is the closest we are going to get to chemical burns like those people suffered."
Isobella was hurt on the fourth day of her 11-day holiday visiting Prue, who moved to London from New South Wales seven months ago.
Prue said: "It was almost like a bomb had gone off. I didn't see the liquid at the time as it all happened so quickly. The fight broke out and the next thing I knew everything had been knocked out of my hands.
"I got pushed back and couldn't stand up, I ended up in the middle of the floor. I felt something on my arm and afterwards I was in so much pain. I thought I had scratched my arm where I fell over.
"My top was shoulderless and didn't cover a lot of skin. We got out of there quickly, we just wanted to get home.
"But by 3am we went to hospital, we were in so much pain. For someone to throw acid – it is so extreme. It was just horrible.
"It could have been much worse or fatal, we were so lucky. With working as a model, if it had been on my face it would have made it hard to get work."
He said: "What is wrong with world that innocent people have to get hurt."
Towie stars Chloe Meadows, Jamie Reed and Jade Lewis were among 400 revellers who fled as the venue was evacuated just after 1am.
A 25-year-old witness from Eltham, South-East London, said: “It was crazy scary — everyone was screaming.
“I was at the bar with friends and a guy was pushing some people around.
“A bouncer asked him to leave, but he grabbed his arm and pulled a bottle out of his pocket.
“He sprayed the bouncer and my friend and some girls got hit. At first everyone thought it was water, then people started running as they realised it was acid.
“The guy who threw it then started throwing other stuff before he ran off.
“One girl looked in a bad way. Staff were putting wet towels on her face and pouring water over her.”
The Met Police said: "Detectives are investigating after acid was sprayed inside licensed premises in Hackney.
"In total 12 people attended hospital suffering burns. Ten were taken by ambulance and two people presented themselves at an east London hospital.
"Two of those injured – both men in their 20s – remain in a serious but stable condition in hospital. The others were treated for minor injuries.
"Officers believe a dispute between two groups of people developed inside the venue, resulting in a noxious substance being sprayed by a male suspect directly at the two men who remain in hospital.
"Other people inside the venue suffered the effects of the substance. The substance is yet to be identified, but it is believed to have been acidic.
"A police investigation is underway. There has been no arrest at this early stage and enquiries continue. There is nothing to suggest this is gang-related."
A spokesman for Mangle said: "We are currently cooperating with the police investigation into an incident that occurred on Monday morning. At this stage, we cannot offer any further comment."
On Monday police and forensic officers were seen removing evidence bags from the club, including what appeared to be clothing and a plastic water bottle like the one witnesses said was used by the attackers.
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