6 killed in capital house fire

Six people, including three children, two teenagers and an adult have died following a house fire in Neasden, north west London, the London Fire Brigade has said. Emergency workers were called to the semi-detached property in Sonia Gardens during the early hours of Saturday morning after a blaze took hold of the ground and first floors. Two other people who escaped from the burning home, believed to be a man and a 16-year-old girl, were taken to hospital with burn injuries, officials said. It is believed all the victims, which include a boy of five, are members of the same family. The fire is being treated as unexplained, and the Metropolitan Police and LFB have begun an investigation, a police spokesman said. Around 30 firefighters from Willesden, West Hampstead, North Kensington and Park Royal fire stations were called to the serious blaze at around 1am, fire officials said. They were joined by officers from the Met and medics from London Ambulance Service. A LFB spokesman said: "It is understood that there were six fatalities - it is thought that this may be three children, two teenagers and one adult, but we await confirmation. "Two further people escaped from the house before firefighters arrived at the scene, both were injured and were taken to hospital by ambulance." An LAS spokeswoman said that the two injured victims, a 55-year-old man and 16-year-old girl, were taken to Saint Mary's Hospital in Paddington.