Two children and two women die in house fire despite brigade rescue attempt

A “DISTRAUGHT” man was seen collapsed against a wall as fire engulfed a house where two women and two children died, a neighbour has said.

Fire crews and police were called to a semi-detached terrace on Hamilton Road in Bexleyheath, south east London, at around 8.30pm on Thursday, and residents have described seeing the house go up in flames while firefighters attempted to rescue those inside.

London Fire Brigade said around 40 firefighters in six engines rushed to the blaze.

Using ladders and breathing apparatus, crews managed to pull the adults and children from the property, but they were pronounced dead at the scene.

The youngsters are believed to be an infant boy and girl, the Metropolitan Police said, and the four victims are believed to be related to each other.

A man is in hospital with non-life threatening leg injuries, while another man who arrived at the scene was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews, the force said.

Builder and nearby resident Scott James, 44, said the house was “quickly engulfed in flames” as smoke blew on to the street, while a “distraught” man collapsed against a wall.

“The downstairs was on fire and then the whole house went up. It was engulfed in flames. There wasn’t an explosion,” he said.

Mr James said he told other neighbours to stay back until firefighters arrived who “very quickly had ladders up to the windows” and pulled one woman out from the upper level.

“I saw them yesterday and waved at them,” he said.

“I spoke to them just to say hello. It was just pleasantries. It is very sad to wake up this morning and hear they have perished.”

Ling Han, 36, who lives 10 metres away, said her family heard “sharp screaming” coming from inside the house and her children told her “there was a big fire”.

She saw firefighters take two children out of the house and the emergency services trying to save their lives.

“They tried really hard to do CPR. They never gave up. They tried to do CPR for the children,” she said.

“I was shocked. My body was shocked. I had no idea how I could help them...

“I saw a huge flame in the first floor.

“I am just so sad because we could see people in danger and could not do anything for them.”

A fire engine was parked outside the house yesterday morning, and the blackened first floor windows could be seen from behind a police cordon. Officers stood guard in front of blue sheets at the end of the road, where mourners had laid flowers.

The cause of the fire is not thought to be suspicious and there have been no arrests, the Met said.

Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased, who have suffered such an awful and devastating loss.”