Fatal fire father 'lost everything' (From Daily Echo)

Fatal fire father 'lost everything'

7:33pm Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News By Tara Russell, News Reporter

A Hampshire 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, who worked at Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital until last year, lost his family in a ferocious blaze at their home in Harlow, Essex last week. Breaking down in tears at his family's funeral he said: “It is a shocking and heartbreaking tragedy to myself, immediate family members and close friends that within such a short period of time I lost everything in my life.''

The emotional speech during the funeral at the Harlow Islamic Centre, which was attended by four hundred mourners, was the first time Dr Shakoor has spoken publicly.

He quoted verses from the Koran and added: ''It would not be possible for me to stand at this time and face this reality without guidance from the holy Koran and from the personal life of the prophet Mohammed.

He added: ''I would like to thank you all for being with us to support me and my family through this irreparable loss.''

Sabah Usmani, also a doctor, and her children - Hira, 12, Sohaib, 11, Muneeb, nine, Rayyan, six, and Maheen, three - all died in the fire.

Dr Shakoor, who tried to rescue his family, was the only survivor.

Essex Police were initially treating the blaze as a suspected arson attack but no trace of an accelerant has been found.

Investigations are continuing.