A mother and three of her children have died following a devastating house fire in northwest London in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Emergency services were called to Tillett Close, Stonebridge, shortly after 1am, where flames had engulfed the family home. The victims include two boys, aged four and eight, and a 15-year-old girl. Their 43-year-old mother also died in the blaze.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed that the woman and one of the children were rescued from the second floor but were pronounced dead at the scene by air ambulance crews. The two other children were later found inside the property as firefighters continued their operation and were also declared dead at the scene.
Local residents have expressed shock and heartbreak over the tragedy. Cecilia Marquis, 60, who works as a caterer at Brentford FC, described the incident as “devastating”. “I just feel numb,” she said. “I’m stunned by the devastation. My clothes were smelling of the fire – I had to have a shower when I got in.”
Mohamed Labidi, 38, a teacher and resident of Tillett Close, said he knew the victims personally and made the first call to emergency services. “We used to socialise together,” he said. “They were really good people. I can’t even look at the house right now.”
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, recalled seeing people running outside as the fire took hold. “It’s horrible. It’s hard to process. I only just moved in, so it’s hard to think about it,” they said.
Two other members of the family—a woman in her 70s and a teenage girl—were taken to hospital for treatment. Their conditions have not been disclosed.
Police arrested a 41-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody as investigations continue. A large section of Tillett Close has been cordoned off, with significant damage visible to the property.
Superintendent Steve Allen from the Metropolitan Police’s local policing team in north-west London described the incident as “extremely tragic”. He added: “Officers arrested a man at the scene and we continue to work alongside investigators from the London Fire Brigade to establish the cause of the fire. Emergency services will remain in Tillett Close throughout the day as these inquiries take place.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, posted on social media platform X: “This is devastating news and my thoughts are with the family, friends and wider community of the four people who sadly have lost their lives. I remain in close contact with the London Fire Brigade and Metropolitan Police as they work to establish the cause of the fire and offer support to all those impacted.”
Dawn Butler, MP for Brent East, also responded to the tragedy on X, saying: “Devastated to see the fatal fire at homes in Tillett Close last night. My prayers are with the family and friends affected by this very sad tragedy. @LFB_Brent worked hard to get it under control, thank you.”
LFB Assistant Commissioner Keeley Foster said: “This is an extremely tragic incident, and the thoughts of everyone across the brigade are with those impacted by this incident. Our specialist fire investigation unit are working closely with colleagues from the Metropolitan Police Service to now determine the cause of this fire. We are working closely with our partners to support the community at this very sad time.”
The London Fire Brigade deployed eight fire engines and around 70 firefighters to the scene. Some crews remained at the location into Saturday morning.
The London Ambulance Service confirmed it sent multiple resources, including an air ambulance, advanced paramedics, and a hazardous area response team.
Police have appealed for information from the public. Anyone with details is urged to call 101, quoting CAD 509/24May, or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.
