Two women and two children die in 'terrible' Bexleyheath house fire

ITV News Correspondent Juliet Bremner has the reaction from local residents

Two women and two children have died in a house fire in south-east London.

Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to the blaze on Hamilton Road in Bexleyheath at around 8.30pm on Thursday.

The victims were a young mother, her four-year-old boy and 18-month-old girl and the children's grandmother.

Firefighters with breathing apparatus managed to pull all four victims from the semi-detached terraced house but they died at the scene.

A man who left the building before firefighters arrived remains in hospital with leg injuries and his condition is not thought to be life-threatening.

Another person was taken to hospital by ambulance after he arrived at the scene, the Met said.

The younger woman inside the house had made a desperate phone call to her husband as flames engulfed the house, a relative has said.

A neighbour said the semi-detached terraced house was “quickly engulfed in flames” as smoke blew out to the street.

Builder Scott James, 44, said he saw a "distraught" man laying alongside the wall.

"I got overwhelmed by smoke and then the whole house was engulfed," he said.

"The downstairs was on fire and then the whole house went up. It was engulfed in flames. There wasn’t an explosion."

Another neighbour, Ling Han, 36, said: "I saw a huge flame in the first floor. I am just so sad because we could see people in danger and could not do anything for them."

Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, head of policing for Bexley, Lewisham and Greenwich said: "Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased, who have suffered such an awful and devastating loss.

"We have officers in the location and I know these sentiments are shared by residents across the Bexley and London as a whole.

"Our inquiries are ongoing and we will continue to work with our colleagues in the London Fire Brigade to fully understand the cause of this terrible incident."

“This is a truly terrible incident which is both sad and shocking,” said London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe.

“Our thoughts are with the family, friends and local community at this difficult time.”

In a statement, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was "heartbroken" to hear of the news.

He said: "I am heartbroken to hear that two women and two children have tragically lost their lives in a house fire in Bexley last night. My heart goes out to all their loved ones and the local community at this awful time."

At this stage, the cause of the fire is not thought to be suspicious and there have been no arrests.