An 11-year-old boy has tragically died in a house fire in the early hours of this morning as two adults and two children were able to flee the horror blaze.
Named locally as 'Daniel,' the year seven secondary school student was described as a “happy” boy by his friend.
The fire broke out in a second-floor flat in Barking, London, and even before firefighters could reach the fire, two adults and two children had left the burning flat and were later taken to hospital as another man was treated at the scene.
He could not be saved despite the efforts of one heroic local resident, neighbour Gediminas Radzeviausm in an adjacent building who saw a woman on a balcony screaming for help and rushed to her aid, catching two of her three children.
Gediminas, 39, said: "When the mother saw I was there and trying to catch them, she dropped them down to me.
“I caught the little girl first and then a boy. A woman jumped and fell on me and then another woman fell on the grass. There were two women, one older and one younger.
“When these ladies jumped I tried to keep their heads and necks safe."
The neighbour said: “A man in the block next door caught the two kids when the lady released them from the balcony. He’s a hero. He saved their lives.
“He needs praising for what he did because he undoubtedly saved them.”
None of them were in a life-threatening condition after the fire brigade was called at 3.25am to the incident which saw some residents "lose everything."
However, the young boy was pronounced dead at the scene after the fire ripped through the property and "destroyed" it, and his next of kin have been informed.
Neighbours were woken to the sound of screams of "Help!" in the early hours of the morning.
One resident, Dan, who lives in a house opposite the flats, said he saw a woman standing on the balcony shouting for help.
Dan, who did not wish to give his surname, added: “We heard screaming when it first happened.
“And then we saw a woman on the balcony talking to someone. I think she we on the phone to the emergency services.
“The fire brigade turned up within five minutes. She was still standing on the balcony on the phone to them when they arrived.
“I could see three or four people outside on the ground by that point, but there was too much smoke to see who they were.”
Stopping outside the burnt-out property with his mum, Daniel's friend said he was a "happy" boy who "liked football and he enjoyed playing Roblox with some of the other boys in our year group.”
Another neighbour who asked not to be named, said she was woken up around 3.30am by shouting.
She said: “I woke up this morning and I could hear all this shouting - there was smoke everywhere.
“There’s a lot of kids that live in that block.
“It’s absolutely tragic. That poor boy.”
One neighbour said a family including a mum, dad and at least two children living at the property but this has not been confirmed by police.
Six fire engines and about 40 firefighters from Barking, East Ham and surrounding fire stations, were called to the scene. They had extinguished the fire by 5am.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) said the top floor flat was "destroyed" by flames and nine other properties were affected in the blaze.
The entire property, which is joined by a communal staircase, was evacuated by the fire brigade but some families have been allowed to return today.
A police cordon remains in place around the affected block, a three storey block of 1990s flats, while the debris is cleared from the flat.
Scorch marks can be seen around the balcony, guttering and in the hallway approaching the property.
A side window and the doors to the balcony have also been smashed.
Police, along with London Fire Brigade, is now investigating the cause of the fire.
Nine properties were affected by the fire, impacting a number of families, confirmed council leader Cllr Darren Rodwell.
He added that some residents had "lost everything" in the first, "including their homes and possessions".
In a statement, the council leader said: “We are saddened by the events that took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning and our hearts go out to everyone affected.
“We would like to thank members of the London Fire Brigade, other emergency services and council staff for their support in very difficult circumstances.
“As a council, we have a duty of care to our residents and have supported a number of people, providing accommodation where it is needed and are providing ongoing help to the families in a number of ways.
“Sadly, we have since been informed that a resident tragically lost their life in the fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as they try to process what has happened.
“London Fire Brigade have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the fire. While we await the outcome of the findings from their investigation, we will be continuing to support our residents with their needs including accommodation and emotional support.”
In a statement, the capital's fire service said: "A child has sadly died following a flat fire on Stern Close in Barking.
"A three-roomed flat on the second floor of the building was destroyed by fire. Two adults and two children left the flat before firefighters arrived and were taken to hospital.
"Another man was treated at the incident by London Ambulance Service crews. Sadly, a child was pronounced dead at the scene.
"The Brigade was called at 0325 and the incident was over for firefighters by 0518. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Barking, East Ham and surrounding fire stations were in attendance."
They added: "Our thoughts are with their friends, family and the local community".
The Met Police was also called to the fatal fire, along with the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance, and said that even though enquiries were ongoing, the fire did not appear to be suspicious.
