Essex fire murder probe

A house fire that killed a mother and her five children in Harlow, Essex, last month is now being treated as a murder investigation, Essex Police said tonight.

Crimestoppers have offered a reward of up to £10,000 after a fatal house fire in which a man tragically lost his wife and five children.The crime-fighting charity said the reward was for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) involved in the "heartbreaking" incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit the website.

Police believe that the house where a mother and her five children died in a fire in Harlow, Essex, may have been burgled.

Essex police are investigating if the family's home was burgled after they went to bed but before the fire was discovered.

A laptop bag believed to belong to Dr Shakoor, who was the only survivor from the fire which killed his wife Dr Sabah Usmani and their five children, has been found abandoned nearby.

Enquiries have also revealed that there were two failed attempts to burgle other properties in Harlow on the night of the fire.

A man who lost his wife and five children in a house fire has spoken of his heartbreak, saying: "I have lost everything."

Dr Abdul Shakoor was speaking at the funeral of his family, who died in the blaze at their home in Harlow, Essex, last week.

The funeral cortege was led by Dr Abdul Shakoor, husband to Dr Sabah Usmani and father to Hira, 12, Sohaib, 11, Muneeb, nine, Rayyan, six, and Maheen, three, who all died in a fire in their home in Harlow, Essex.

Hundreds of mourners followed the funeral cortege as it travelled to Parndon Wood Cemetery after a funeral service at the Harlow Islamic Centre.

Dr Abdul Shakoor, the husband of Sabah Usmani, also a doctor, who along with their five children died in a house blaze in Harlow, Essex, last week, walked behind the funeral cortege as it arrived at Parndon Wood Cemetery, in Harlow, for their burial after their funeral service.

Paramedics and fire fighters have arrived at the Harlow Islamic Centre, for the funeral of Sabah Usmani, a doctor, who along with her children - Hira, 12, Sohaib, 11, Muneeb, nine, Rayyan, six, and Maheen, three - died in a house blaze in Barn Mead, Harlow, Essex, last week.

Around thirty members of the fire and ambulance services as well as the police who were involved in the attempt to rescue the family and the investigation in to the fire have attended the funeral service for the Usmani family.

Members of the police, fire and ambulance staff are at today's funeral service for Sabah Usmani and her five children. I count around 30 altogether.