A ‘lovely’ 12-year-old boy has been killed and a woman, in her 50s, has been rushed to hospital after a fatal blaze ripped through a block of flats.
Fabian Henry died after a fire broke out in an Orchard Gardens flat in Lewisham just before midnight on Tuesday.
Ten fire engines, as well as paramedics and police rushed to the scene, but sadly Fabian was pronounced dead shortly after.
A woman, aged 54, was taken to hospital by paramedics, however, her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.
Pictures of the aftermath show the devastated flat with burnt out windows and a charred exterior.
Floral tributes were left at the flats, as his aunt Suezette Edwards released a touching tribute to the ‘lovely’ Manchester United fan.
She told Metro: ‘His father had died from cancer. He was lovely. The family wanted him to be a doctor. He was also very good at football. We are all heartbroken.’
Fabian’s former teacher described him as being a ‘talented footballer’ with a ‘great heart’.
Fabian Henry died after a fire broke out in an Orchard Gardens flat in Lewisham just before midnight on Tuesday
Pictures of the aftermath, show the devastated flat with burnt out windows and a charred exterior
‘When he sees me he still gives me a big hug and says he scored yesterday. He was a pleasure to teach. I wish all kids were like him,’ he said.
Another man paying tribute at the scene today revealed how his son, who was the 12-year-old’s best friend, found out on his way to school.
Witnesses also said they heard the teen’s mother yell ‘my boy, my boy, please help my boy,’ as emergency workers attempted to save him from the ‘intense’ and fast spreading fire.
‘He was too upset to go, he’s gutted,’ he said. ‘The boy was lovely my son has lost his best friend.’
A probe into the blaze has since been launched by the London Fire Brigade, however it is not believed to be suspicious at this stage.
Emie Anderson recalled hearing a ‘massive big bang’ and ‘terrible’ screaming, as the flat ‘went up like a tinderbox’.
‘It sounded like a boy screaming for help,’ he added.
Forensics were spotted on Lewisham Road using specialist thermal imaging kits in a bid to determine the cause of the fire.
His aunt Suezette Edwards released a touching tribute to the ‘lovely’ Manchester United fan (Pictured: A burnt flat in Lewisham, southeast London
Ten fire engines, as well as paramedics and police rushed to the scene, but sadly Fabian was pronounced dad shortly after their arrival
Blue tarpaulin was also draped over the flat’s destroyed windows, as police remain on guard outside the block.
Detective Chief Inspector Danian Reid, from the Met’s local investigations team in south east London, said: ‘This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with everyone involved.
‘We continue to work alongside investigators from the London Fire Brigade to establish the cause of the fire.
‘We understand the impact this will have on the community and there will be local neighbourhood officers, and other emergency services, in the area as enquiries continue.’
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: ‘Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters tackled a fire at a block of maisonettes on Lewisham Road, Lewisham.
‘A maisonette split between the ground and first floors was destroyed by the fire. Part of of a maisonette split between the second and third floors was damaged by the fire along with a small part of the external fascia of the building.
A probe into the blaze has since been launched by the London Fire Brigade, however it is not believed to be suspicious at this stage
‘One woman was treated on scene by London Ambulance Service. Three further people left the building before the Brigade arrived.
‘The Brigade’s Drone Team were deployed to provide the Incident Commander with an aerial view of the fire.
‘Control Officers took the first of 14 calls at 2355 and mobilised crews to the scene from Greenwich, Lewisham, Lee Green and surrounding fire stations. The fire was under control by 0202.
‘The cause of the fire is under investigation.’
