A Pakistani mother and her three children died in a fire fire in northwestern London on Saturday morning. A man has been arrested under suspicion of murder, police said.
The fire exploded around 01:20 BST in two adjacent houses on terraces in Tillett Close in the Stonebridge area of Brent. Emergency services arrived to find both severely damaged properties.
The victims have been identified as a 43 -year -old woman and her three children: a 15 -year -old girl and two children of eight and four years. The four were declared dead on the scene.
Police confirmed that the woman was the mother of the three children.
According to the BBC, two other members of the same family, a woman in her 70s and a teenager, were also at home and were taken to the hospital. Their conditions have not been made public.
The Metropolitan Police said that a 41 -year -old man was arrested outside the property under suspicion of murder. He remains in custody. The family was of Pakistani origin and had lived in the United Kingdom for more than 20 years, neighbors told the BBC.
Eight Fire Trucks and around 70 Firefighters from Wembley stations, Park Royal and Willesden responded to the fire. They fought the fire for several hours before it was controlled.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Fire researchers and homicide detectives are working together in the case.
The neighbor Mohamed Labidi, 38, a teacher who lives on the same street, told the AP news agency that he was devastated by the loss.
“I couldn’t even look at the house,” he said. “They were good people. We used to socialize together. Children were always educated. It’s heartbreaking.”
Another resident told the BBC that he listened to screams and glass breaking and came out to see the property next door.
