Hornchurch fire: Three members of same family die following blaze on Laburnum Avenue

Three members of the same family have died following a fire at a house in east London.

More than 20 firefighters tackled the blaze on Laburnum Avenue in Hornchurch on 6 February which caused part of the ground floor of the mid-terraced house to be damaged.

One woman, Anne Whelan, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two brothers who were injured in the fire – Jim and Joe Whelen – later died from their injuries at hospital.

Joe and his wife Anne Whelan had recently moved to Hornchurch to care for the elder Whelen brother Jim, who was suffering from chronic back problems and dementia, according to the Evening Standard.

London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton said: "My thoughts and those of everyone at the brigade are with the friends and family of the three people who have died following the tragic fire in Hornchurch on Monday morning. Firefighters worked extremely hard and did all they could in difficult conditions."

Neighbour Valerie Newman told the Standard: "Jim was lovely, chatty and the fittest man for his age. I think he would have managed to get out but his back went and he couldn't move so well anymore."