In the early hours of October 15, 2012, the Shakoor family woke to a fire in their home in Barn Mead, Harlow, England.
Unable to gather his family to safety, and calls for help going unheard, Dr Abdul Shakoor jumped from a bedroom window to go and get help. When firefighters arrived at the scene, they had to physically restrain him from going back inside the property. He also suffered severe smoke inhalation.
Devastatingly, Dr Shakoor’s wife Dr Sabah Usmani, sons Muneed, nine, and Rayyan, six, and daughter Hira, 12 all died at the scene. 11-year old Sohaib and 3-year-old Maheen died in hospital.
The fire was started deliberately around 1:40am in the downstairs of the home. Police believe it was set by burglars as 11 days later, Dr Shakoor’s laptop bag and cable were found a couple of miles away dumped in some bushes. The laptop has never been found.
At the time of the fire, a neighbour’s car, a silver Ford Focus was also set alight. Police are treating the two incidents as related.
Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe said:
“This was one of the most tragic events in Essex Police history, where a man has lost his entire family and has never got justice.”
She believes members of the public could be carrying vital information:
“Maybe their situation or loyalties have changed. Now is their time to speak as it’s not too late. Dr Abdul Shakoor deserves to know what happened.”
Unfortunately, according to an investigator that worked on the case, key evidence was destroyed at the start of the investigation.
David Hadjicostas, a fire investigation officer for Essex Fire and Rescue Service at the time, said the forensic science advisor did not test the external lock on the front door of the Shakoor family home. Both Dr Shakoor and a neighbour had reported the door being open and Dr Shakoor had told officers there had been issues with the lock. The door was removed from the frame and put in a skip before the fire team had examined it, claims Hadjicostas.
Key Forensic Services, the private company appointed to investigate had also apparently, unfortunately failed to properly take samples from the scene. Ian Peck, a specialist fire investigator reviewed the evidence collected. Referencing a large piece of laminate flooring from the lounge, believed to be where the fire started, he said:
“Whoever was doing the packaging had stuck a nylon bag over one end, another nylon bag over another end, and then used Sellotape to kind of make some sort of Christmas cracker.”
These samples were rejected as they were not airtight. Had they been airtight they would have retained any vapour from any potential accelerants used.
Investigators found that there were three other burglaries within an hour of the fire at Barn Mead.
So far, 7 people have been arrested over the course of the investigation. One of those arrested in 2013 had grass fragments on their clothing that matched the neighbours car, but not all the fragments were tested.
A white male believed to be in his 20’s was seen cycling away from the area at the time, has not yet come forward, but police want to speak to him. Police are also still trying to locate Dr Shakoor’s laptop.
Police also want to speak to the author of a note left in Boots in Harlow that referenced the fire, and they also want to know who the anonymous called was that rang Essex Police about the fire in the days after it happened.
Dr Shakoor said:
“Obviously it’s not easy as I lost my whole family, I lost everything… My life will never be the same again.”
Anyone with any information about the fire is urged to contact police, or CrimeStoppers who are offering £20,000 for information that leads to a conviction.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0kl1w7knjo
