Suspicions were aroused when a member of the public noticed smoke coming from a desk adjacent to where she was working. Witnesses report seeing the newspaper atop the desk, in flames. A strong smell of burning was also reported. Minutes earlier an "unkempt, bearded man" in his late forties or early fifties had been seen reading the newspaper. It is believed that he may have set fire to it using a small incendiary device, before leaving the library. The motive for the attack is not clear.

Library staff acted quickly to bring the blaze under control, before taking witness statements from members of the public. One reader claimed to have seen the suspect a number of times before. The man, described as an "eccentric", had been seen reading the sports page of the Independent newspaper in other libraries in the Wandsworth area. It is not known whether he has ignited his reading material on any previous occasion, or if the destruction of the newspaper is connected with the recent visit to London by the Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Staff have been unable to confirm whether the suspect is in possession of a valid library ticket.