Tributes have been paid to a “generous schoolgirl with a heart of gold” who perished in a flat fire in east London.
Tiffany Regis, 14, has been named locally as the victim of the fire that injured five others in Tollgate Road, Beckton.
The Kingsford Community School student is believed to have joined friends to celebrate the Easter holidays before the fire ignited at around 5.25pm on Thursday.
Children as young as four reportedly jumped from upper-floor windows to escape the flames onto an old mattress laid out by hero neighbours.
The fire is being treated as arson and a 16-year-old boy has since been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Five others injured in the blaze have since been discharged from hospital.
Vasee Ahmed a family friend, who saw the blaze take hold, told the Standard: “Tiffany was loving and caring and was very close to my daughter and wife.
“Tiffany was living with her gran near the Asda as her gran was elderly.
“That flat was Tiffany’s friends I think the school friends got together and met up in the flat to just have a chat and enjoy their holidays.”
They added: “We have lived in Beckton since 1988 and have seen kids and families grow up over the years.
“My daughter is in the same class as Tiffany in Kingsford Community School.
“We always saw Tiffany she was so generous and humble and has a heart of gold.
“My daughter is very distressed since yesterday as she is trying to come to terms with this tragedy.”
He said: “People tried their best to help. They were bringing mattresses so kids could jump to safety out of the windows.”
A woman purporting to be Tiffany’s aunt posted on TikTok: “This can’t be real this was my niece.
“R.I.P beautiful you were gone to soon. The world is so horrible may your beautiful soul rest at peace now. Love you baby girl.”
Paying tribute, a man who said he was a family friend described the teenager as “an angel”.
The man who gave his name only as Godfrey, 30, said: “I’ve even got videos of her from when she young.
“She spent some time with my little nephews. Those memories with her I will never forget.”
Witnesses said they watched people jump from windows onto a mattress to escape the fire.
Neighbour Inga Tilvikiene said: “First a small boy, four or five years old, jumped… Two guys found an old mattress. About six or seven people [jumped on it].
“One girl just jumped onto the floor, you could see yesterday she was bruised.”
Rahina Begum, who lives opposite the flats, described how the fire “went up very quickly, within a few seconds”.
She said: “In 10 to 15 seconds the whole building was on fire, from the bottom to the top.”
Kenesha Lawrence, 43, who lived in the block of flats with her 14-year-old son, is having to stay in a hostel after her home was destroyed.
She said: “I am in the same clothes as I left for work yesterday morning.
“My whole life was in there. I have been living there for nine years I have no idea what is going on in there.
“Just above me I know there is a family with a young baby boy. I don’t know their names. Above that it was a mother and a daughter.”
Chf Supt Simon Crick who leads the North East Command Unit said: “My thoughts at this time are with the victim and their family and friends. Incidents such as these send shockwaves through our communities and I don’t underestimate the impact this will have in the local area and beyond.
“Your officers will be on patrol in the immediate vicinity over the Easter Weekend, please talk to them if you have any concerns.”
A scene and safety cordons remain in place and enquiries are ongoing.
Detective chief inspector Joanna Yorke of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “We are at the very early stages of our investigation and are still keen to hear from anyone who has information but has not yet spoken with police.
“I understand the effect an incident of this kind will have on the local community and I reiterate Chief Superintendent Crick’s advice that anyone with concerns should speak with local officers. I would like to thank residents in the immediate area for their co-operation while my team conduct their enquiries.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the victim.”
Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 5315/6APR.
To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.
