- Dr Abdul Shakoor suffered smoke inhalation as he tried to save his family
- Wife Sabah, sons Sohaib, 11, and Rayan, 6, and daughter Hira, 12, died
- Muneeb, 9, and Maheen, 3, taken to local hospital - but both later died
- Police make fresh witness appeal because 'someone knows something'
By Mark Duell
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A tragic house fire which killed six members of the same family is now being treating by detectives as murder, after police said last night they believe someone burgled the home and then started a blaze.
Sabah Usmani, 44, and sons Sohaib, 11, and Rayyan, six, and daughter Hira, 13, died last month in Harlow, Essex, with a third son, Muneeb, nine, and daughter Maheen, three, dying in hospital.
Dr Usmani's husband Abdul Shakoor, 45, was the only survivor, and police have made a fresh appeal for witnesses because 'someone knows something' about the incident but has failed to tell officers.
Dead: The victims (left-to-right) Hira, 12, Sohaib, 11, mother Sabah, 44, Rayyan, 6, Muneeb, 9 and Maheen, 3
Emotional: Dr Abdul Shakoor (right) is comforted by a member of Essex Police as he makes a statement at the force's headquarters in Chelmsford earlier this month after new evidence of a burglary at his house
Evidence from the blaze suggests the likely cause was 'malicious ignition' - and detectives know there was a burglary at the house on the same evening or early morning of the fire, Essex Police said.
Police said that from the start of the probe, named Operation Shakespeare, detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate had treated the incident as a suspicious fire.
A spokesman added: 'A dedicated team of detectives and specialist police officers and staff have undertaken intensive inquiries - looking at all aspects of this case. They are working round the clock to establish how the fire started and who was responsible.'
Senior investigating officer Det Supt Rob Vinson said: 'This is now a murder investigation. We believe that someone burgled the house and then caused a fire that took the lives of six innocent people.
'Someone knows something about this incident and for whatever reason has not come forward to tell police what they saw or know.
Inside: The lounge of Dr Shakoor's house in Harlow, Essex, after the tragic fire took place last month
Investigation: This picture from Essex Police shows the laptop that was stolen from Dr Shakoor's house
Mourning: Dr Abdul Shakoor (third left) walks immediately behind the funeral cortege as it arrives at Parndon Wood Cemetery, in Harlow, for their burial following their funeral service at Harlow Islamic Centre last month
'Please search your conscience for the sake of those five young children and their mother.
'Dr Shakoor has had to find the strength to cope with this terrible tragedy. No one can imagine the pain of losing your whole family in such a horrible way'
Det Supt Rob Vinson, Essex Police
'This is an unprecedented case in the history of Essex Police and we will do everything we can to solve this tragedy.
'Dr Shakoor has had to find the strength to cope with this terrible tragedy. No one can imagine the pain of losing your whole family in such a horrible way.
'I need to find answers. I need the public to tell me what happened on that night.'
Dr Shakoor discovered the fire at his home and battled hard to save his family, suffering the effects of the dense smoke and also minor burns as he tried to get them out.
Couple: Doctor Abdul Shakoor survived with severe smoke inhalation while his wife Sabah Usmani died
Tragic: Essex Police initially suspected an arson attack but it is now thought that the fire was a tragic accident
At the same time as fire crews were tackling the blaze, a Ford Focus car was alight in a parking area nearby.
'I need to find answers. I need the public to tell me what happened on that night'
Det Supt Rob Vinson, Essex Police
Det Supt Vinson said: 'I need the public's help and appeal for information about people who were in the area and about items taken in the burglary.'
Dr Shakoor's laptop bag which contained a two-pin lead was originally found in a hedge along the footpath between St Michael's Close and Whitewaits, Harlow by two teenagers, then abandoned in Whitewaits by some garages.
'Do you know how the laptop bag came to be abandoned in the hedge?' Det Supt Vinson asked.
The family laptop, a Toshiba Satellite, is missing. The officer added: 'Have you been offered a laptop such as this since October 15?'
Tragedy: Fire damage can be seen at the back of the house, on brickwork, and the walls are black with smoke
He asked anyone who was in the Barn Mead area on the early morning of the fire to contact police.
'We need to find a group of four young men, 16-19, possibly wearing tracksuits and baseball hats, one significantly taller than the others. Additionally we need to speak to two teenagers on bikes.
'Anyone who was in the area at the time of the fire or has any information about who was there must contact us.'
Det Supt Vinson added: 'The car that was discovered alight on the same morning belonged to a neighbour and was parked around 20 metres away from the Shakoor home. Do you have any information about this car fire?'
- Anyone with information on the case has been urged by Essex Police to contact the Operation Shakespeare investigation team on 01277 266869 or 0800 056 0944 or on scdappeals@essex.pnn.police.uk or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111
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