Family cheats death after fire rips through home near Wembley Stadium

A family has described how they escaped with seconds to spare after a fire destroyed their home near the iconic Wembley Stadium. 

Around 40 firefighters were called to the scene in Eagle Road on Sunday evening as flames shot into the air and smoke billowed across north-west London.

Anas Ali and three family members were in their downstairs flat when a blaze broke out on the upper floor. 

They raced out onto the street as the property was engulfed by the flames. 

Anas told Metro he and his relatives had been downstairs when a fire broke out upstairs. He said: ‘There was suddenly smoke in the room and we realised there was a fire. We ran for our lives.

‘We had to get out; we realised when we only had seconds.’

The family, who have lived in the property for more than four years, could only look on helplessly as fire crews tackled the blaze.

On Monday they spoke to Metro outside, clutching suitcases containing the few possessions they had been able to recover.

One family member said: ‘It’s heartbreaking.

‘We escaped with our lives, which we are thankful to God for, but we have nowhere to go.’

Witness Diwas Chand said it was ‘lucky’ everyone had escaped, adding: ‘It was a very big, scary fire. The flames were very high. So many firefighters came.’

The family who lived in the upper flat also escaped safely.  They said they did not know what had caused the fire, which is now under investigation.

The building remains cordoned off, and when Metro visited, a police car remained at the scene.

A London Fire Brigade statement said: ‘Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters tackled a fire at a semi-detached house on Eagle Road in Wembley.

‘The first floor and roof were destroyed by the fire. There are no reports of any injuries.

‘Control Officers took the first of nine calls at 6.26pm and mobilised crews from Wembley, Park Royal, Northolt and surrounding fire stations to the scene. The fire was extinguished by 8.24pm.’