School pays tribute to children after five people die in house fire

The family always had a ‘beautiful garden’, one neighbour said.

Floral tributes left on behalf of a school for three children killed in a house fire in Channel Close, Hounslow (George Lithgow/PA) (PA Wire)

Tributes have been paid to a family killed in a west London house fire.

Five people believed to be from the same family, including three children, died in the blaze in Channel Close, Hounslow, on Sunday evening.

The adults who lived at the home have been named locally as Aroen Kishen and his wife Seema, while the children have been named in a tribute from their school as Riyan, Shanaya and Arohi.

Tributes left to Riyan by fellow year six pupils said they were “all crying today and missing you”.

One man, believed to be Mr Kishen, left the home before emergency crews arrived and was later taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

One person remains unaccounted for.

Individual bunches of flowers for the three children were placed at the scene on Tuesday on behalf of Springwell School, Hounslow. Tributes attached to the flowers read: “Rest in peace sweet child.”

A tribute left on behalf of a Mrs Sheldon said: “Words cannot even begin to express our sorrow at hearing the loss of three beautiful souls.

“Forever in our hearts! Good night and God bless.”

Another tribute left on behalf of “year 6″ read: “Dear Riyan. I am so sorry that this has happened to you.

“All crying today and missing you today. You are still part of our family.

I didn't know the family but they always had a beautiful garden with lots of flowers and a nice bench outside. It was lovely to walk past

Neighbour Rafiah Dhillon

“We will never forget you, and you will always be in our hearts. May God grant you eternal life in heaven.”

Rafiah Dhillon, 56, who lives less than 50 metres from the burnt house, said the family always kept a “beautiful garden.”

The nurse said: “My son is partially sighted so we walk him around the block every day and we used to go past their house.

“I didn’t know the family but they always had a beautiful garden with lots of flowers and a nice bench outside. It was lovely to walk past.

“I came home at around midnight on Sunday. When the police escorted me into my home, the house was still ablaze and there was lots of smoke.

“It was very scary. I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t want to look away.”

I am not ruling anything out. I don’t think we are in a position to do that

Ch Supt Sean Wilson

A reduced police cordon remained in place around the house on Tuesday. The Metropolitan Police said the fire’s cause is under investigation. No arrests have been made.

Locals described seeing smoke on Sunday evening but were unsure if it was related to Diwali fireworks.

Speaking at a press conference at the scene on Monday, Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, asked if he could rule out fireworks as a possible cause of the fire, said: “At this stage, this is being investigated both by ourselves and specialist fire officers.

“I am not ruling anything out. I don’t think we are in a position to do that.

“We keep an open mind. It is such an early stage and there is an awful lot of work to be done.”

I think the police are right to keep a very open mind on this. Until they’ve carried out their investigations it will be very difficult to say whether it was fireworks or other factors

Councillor Shantanu Rajawat

The leader of Hounslow Council said residents immediately affected by the fire had been moved into hotels.

Councillor Shantanu Rajawat told BBC Radio London on Tuesday: “We need to make sure the neighbouring properties are safe before we allow people in.”

Mr Rajawat, who visited the scene on Monday, said he had been “talking to faith groups in the local community”.

“(I saw the) incredible work the fire brigade did to bring the fire under control. It was a terrible scene. It will take some time to get into the property and make sure it’s safe,” he added.

“It was the evening of Diwali. I think the police are right to keep a very open mind on this. Until they’ve carried out their investigations it will be very difficult to say whether it was fireworks or other factors.

“(People in Hounslow) are grieving… but we are a really strong community, there is support there.”

Inquiries into the fire’s circumstances are ongoing, police said on Tuesday.