5 Afghans from a family die in UK housefire on Diwali

LONDON: Five Afghan Hindus from the same family, including three children, have died in a massive house fire in Hounslow that ripped through their mid-terraced home on Diwali when a huge number of fireworks were set off, reports Naomi Canton.

Police were called at 10.30pm Sunday to reports of a fire in Channel Close. Ten fire engines and 70 firefighters attended the scene. It took them three hours to get the blaze under control. The bodies of five people, including three children, were found on the first floor and pronounced dead at the scene. The Metropolitan Police said: "It is believed all five are members of the same family." A sixth adult, also from the family, remains unaccounted for.

A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade told TOI: "The cause of the fire is still under investigation."