A mother and three of her children who tragically lost their lives in a devastating house fire in north-west London have been named by police.
The victims have been identified as 43-year-old Nusrat Usman, her 15-year-old daughter Maryam Mikaiel, and sons Musa Usman and Raees Usman, aged eight and four, respectively. The blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Saturday morning at Tillett Close in Stonebridge, has left the local community reeling with grief and disbelief.
Hero neighbour Victor Pedra, 33, bravely risked his own life to rescue two surviving members of the family – a woman in her 70s and a 13-year-old girl – before emergency services arrived at the scene. The teenage girl remains in hospital in a critical condition.
Speaking to The Sun, Mr Pedra, a father-of-two, recounted the horrifying moments after being woken up by the sound of screams. “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,” he said.
“When I saw people just standing around watching the flames, I knew I had to do something. I broke a window to get inside. I cut my hand doing it, but I couldn’t just watch.”
Mr Pedra’s quick-thinking actions helped rescue the grandmother and the teenage girl. He also alerted the sleeping neighbours in the adjacent property, helping them to escape before the fire could spread further.
Sadly, the intense blaze prevented him from reaching the upper floor, where Nusrat and her youngest son were later found. Firefighters managed to bring them out and attempted to resuscitate them with CPR for over an hour, but tragically, their efforts were in vain.
Maryam and Musa were also rescued from the top floor, but both were pronounced dead at the scene.
The fire broke out shortly after 1am, with emergency services arriving swiftly. London Fire Brigade battled the flames through the night, and by Sunday morning, the charred remains of two terraced houses stood as a stark reminder of the tragedy. Fire crews wearing helmets and respiratory gear were seen erecting scaffolding at the scene.
Bunches of flowers and a blue teddy bear have since been left outside the property as a mark of respect. One card read, “Rest in peace angels. You will never be forgotten.”
The family, said to be of Pakistani heritage, had lived in the Brent area for many years. Neighbours spoke of their devastation and sorrow in the aftermath of the incident.
Cecilia Marquis, 60, a caterer at Brentford FC and long-time resident of the street, said: “I was stunned by the devastation. This family was part of the community. This will leave a lasting impact.”
Another neighbour, Mohamed Labidi, a 38-year-old teacher, said he couldn’t bring himself to look at the house. “It’s too painful. I’ve lived here for years, and this is the worst tragedy I’ve seen.”
More Read
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 41-year-old man was arrested at the scene and later detained under the Mental Health Act. He has since been bailed pending further enquiries.
Superintendent Steve Allen of the Metropolitan Police’s north-west London team said detectives were continuing to investigate 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,” he said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with their loved ones, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. I recognise the significant impact this incident has had on the community.”
An outpouring of support has flooded in from across London, with community leaders and local residents expressing solidarity and grief for a family that had touched many lives.
