A fire that killed six members of the same family is not being treated as suspicious after an investigation by the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade (LFB).
Six fire engines and around 30 firefighters were called to a house fire on Sonia Gardens in Neasden, London, just after 12.45am on Saturday morning (24 September). The fire was under control at just after 2.50am.
The six people who died are 41-year-old Muna Elmufatish, the mother of daughters Hanin Kua, 14, Basma Kua, 13, Amal Kua, nine, and sons Mustafa Kua, five, and Yehya Kua, two.
The father of the children, Bassam Kua, 51, and his daughter, Nur Kua, 16, both escaped the blaze and are in hospital.
In a statement, police said the incident was ‘deemed non-suspicious’ and it has passed the investigation over to the LFB. The brigade said it may be some time before ‘painstaking examinations’ are concluded in to how the fire started.
The ground floor and first floor of the two storey semi detached house were badly damaged by the blaze.
London fire commissioner Ron Dobson said: “Firefighters arrived within minutes of the call. They worked extremely hard and did all they could in difficult conditions. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families of those who died in the fire.”
Chief superintendent Matthew Gardner said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the friends and family of the victims, who are now having to come to terms with this terrible loss of life.”
Post-mortem examinations are planned for today.
On Saturday, 600 firefighters from all over the country competing in the UK Rescue Challenge in London observed a minute’s silence for the six people who died.
