6 days ago
Brent council leader pays tribute to family killed in blaze
About 150 residents gathered for a prayer service in Brent, north London on Tuesday evening to remember a mother and three of her children who died in a house Usman, 43, her daughter Maryam Mikaiel, 15 and sons Musa Usman, eight, and Raees Usman, four, died when their home in Stonebridge went up in flames on Saturday morning. A 13-year-old girl, who has not been named, remains in hospital in a critical condition, while a woman in her 70s has been councillor Muhammed Butt told BBC London the tragedy had united the community.
The vigil was held in the middle of the housing estate where the four lost their Butt, who is leader of Brent Council, told BBC London: "We are mourning the loss of four beautiful souls."I live just around the corner, just across the road, and the community is so united. "Everyone knows one another so to have this tragedy you can see, you can feel the loss that people are feeling. "They care about one another, they look after one another and they care about everyone."Members of the community spoke about the loss of the family and how the father Ozzy was still coming to terms the tragedy.
Eight fire engines and about 70 firefighters from stations across Wembley, Park Royal and Willesden were sent to tackle the blaze.A teddy bear and flowers were seen laid near the properties over the weekend. The London Fire Brigade said a woman and child were initially rescued from the second floor of one of the affected properties and received emergency care but were declared dead at the more children were found inside the property and also declared dead, it neighbour, who said the family had moved to the UK from Pakistan more than 20 years ago, told the BBC that after hearing smashing and screaming, she had gone out to find the building on Metropolitan Police said a man, 41, had been arrested on suspicion of murder outside the property. He has since been bailed and detained under the Mental Health Act.
