Doctor and 4 children die in fire

A doctor and four of her five children died yesterday after fire tore through their home in a suspected arson attack. Sabah Usmani, sons Sohaib, 13, and Rayyan, six, and 11-year-old daughter Hira died in their end-of-terrace house in Harlow, Essex, in the early hours of yesterday morning. A third son, nine-year-old Muneeb, and daughter Maheen, three, were rescued by fire crews and taken to hospital in a critical condition. Police identified Muneeb as the one who died later. Dr Usmani’s husband, Abdul Shakoor, also a doctor, was being treated for smoke inhalation in the hospital where he works. Neighbours told of “horrible screams” and a woman calling for help from inside the house in Barn Mead as flames poured from the front and back doors and windows.They were described as a “lovely, normal family”. Fire crews were called to the house at 1.45am. Neighbour Sharon Pavey said: “I saw flames coming out of the back window and dialled 999 but they were on their way. We could tell it was very serious.” Amanda Chadwick, 34, said she was woken by the sound of “horrible screaming” from the house. She said: “I woke up to the sound of a woman screaming ‘help’. There was a man, also, he sounded like he was calling out to find someone but I couldn’t make out the names. “It was absolutely horrible. Before I knew it there were blue lights flashing and an ambulance arrived.” Dr Usmani studied at the prestigious Dow Medical College in Pakistan.Dr Shakoor’s cousin, Abdul Ishaqani, speaking from Karachi, told the Standard that husband and wife were doctors and had worked in Saudi Arabia before moving to the UK three years ago. The family first lived in Winchester before relocating to Harlow a year ago when Dr Shakoor started working at Princess Alexandra Hospital where the casualties were taken yesterday. Ishaqani said: “They are a very happy, loving family. They still have a home in Karachi and visit regularly, but they were settled in Harlow and the children were doing very well at school. “The last time I saw my cousin was three months ago when he came back to Pakistan. His mother had been staying in the UK with them for six months and he brought her home. “We’re still trying to find out what happened.” Police and fire crews began an investigation yesterday amid fears that the blaze may have been started deliberately.