Dad sees family killed in blaze
A DISTRAUGHT father watched in horror as his wife, two young children and mother-inlaw were killed in a fire at their home.
The man, who lost his 18-month-old daughter and four-year-old son, was seen screaming as he collapsed in front of the house.
It is understood he had been at work on Thursday when his wife phoned him from inside the burning house shouting: “Fire!”
The father’s brother-in-law broke both legs as he escaped by jumping from a first-floor window. He is recovering in hospital.
Six fire engines raced to the scene and 40 fire crew managed to rescue the two children and women from the inferno, but all efforts to save their lives failed.
One witness said: “I heard screams coming from the property. It was awful. The whole house was engulfed in flames. The father was at the end of the drive on his hands and knees screaming and crying. I’ve never seen such pain and anguish.”
The victims, from Sri Lanka, moved into the 1930s semi-detached house in Bexleyheath, south London six months ago.
A man known only as Jega, a cousin of the bereaved father, said: “It is so sad. It is impossible to comfort him or to describe what he is going through.”
He said the youngsters who died were “happy children”, adding: “It looks like it was an accident and you can’t prepare for that.”
The devastated father was named as Logan by his friend Mayil Mathivathanan, 46, who said: “He kept crying and saying the names of his children.The pain is unimaginable.And he is such a nice guy. He called me saying his mother-in-law was going back to Sri Lanka. “They had booked the ticket to go back for the day after the fire.” Neighbour Scott James, 44, said: “The whole house went up so quick. It just ignited. It was bizarre to see it. Dare I say it, like a film really. You could feel the heat. The downstairs was on fire and then the whole house went up.”
Floral tributes and messages from the community were left by well-wishers yesterday.
One message read: “My heart aches for this loss of precious life to your family.”
An investigation into the cause of the blaze, which is not being treated as suspicious, has been launched. It is understood the house had been recently renovated.
Part of the probe will be to establish if there were any working smoke alarms in the property.