A mother and three of her children killed in a house fire have been named - as a hero electrician told how he smashed his way into their burning property to help save two others in north west London.
Floral tributes have been left at the scene where 43-year-old Nusrat Usman, her 15-year-old daughter Maryam Mikaiel and two sons Musa Usman and Raees Usman, aged eight and four, died.
A 41-year-old man arrested at the scene has since been bailed and was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act.
Victor Pedra heard a crying man scream “my children, my wife, my whole family is in there” on Tillett Close, Stonebridge, at around 1.15am on Saturday.
A woman in her 70s was taken to hospital but has since been released. A 13-year-old girl remains in hospital in a critical condition.
On Sunday morning, the road outside two gutted terraced houses remained cordoned off, fire engines still at the scene.
Mr Pedra ran towards the blaze and broke a lower floor window to gain access to his neighbour’s house property.
He helped rescue a woman in her 70s and a teenage girl who were both members of the family before London Ambulance Service took them to hospital. There has been no update on their condition.
Father-of-two Mr Pedra, 33, told The Sun: “I heard the dad outside crying and screaming ‘my children, my wife, my whole family is in there’. He was in shock and couldn’t really speak.
“I had gone outside and saw people standing around watching these huge flames so I just knew I had to act. I cut my hand breaking the window.
“The grandmother and one of the daughters managed to get out safely. The only way they could escape was through the garden as the front door was blocked by the fire.
“The flames were so strong and there was smoke everywhere. I couldn’t get to the second floor where the mum and her youngest son was.
“I also had to wake up the people in the house next door before it caught fire as they were all sleeping and hadn’t realised.
“Firefighters managed to bring the mum and one of the sons out and attempted CPR for about an hour but it was no use.
“They also managed to bring the other son and eldest daughter out from the top floor but sadly it was too late for them. It was really tough to see.
“I couldn’t sleep that night as I just kept hearing the screams from inside the house.”
Bunches of flowers and a blue teddy bear were left near to the homes and crews wearing helmets and respiratory equipment were seen building scaffolding against the burnt out buildings.
Neighbours said the family are of Pakistani origin and had lived in the Brent area for a long time.
Neighbour Cecilia Marquis, 60, said she was “stunned by the devastation” of the blaze.
Mrs Marquis, who is a caterer at Brentford FC and witnessed the fire in her street, said: “This will leave a devastating impact.”
Mohamed Labidi, a 38-year-old teacher who lives in Tillett Close, said he could not “even look at the house right now”.
In a statement on Saturday, Superintendent Steve Allen, from the Metropolitan Police’s local policing team in north-west London, said detectives are leading the ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire.
“Despite the efforts of the emergency services, I can confirm a woman and three of her children died at the scene.
“A further two members of the same family were taken to hospital and continue to receive treatment.
“The wider family have been informed, and officers will continue to support them at this incredibly difficult time.
He added: “I recognise the significant impact this incident has had on the community.”