A father who lost his wife and five children in a house fire today said his heart had “shattered into six pieces” after an inquest found a failed freezer caused the blaze.
Muna Elmufatish, 41, daughters Hanin Kua, 14, Basma, 13, Amal, nine, and sons Mustafa, five, and Yehya, two, died in the fire in September last year.
The inquest into their deaths at North London Coroner’s Court in Barnet heard that the family were all asleep when the blaze engulfed their home in the early hours of September 24, 2011.
Coroner Andrew Walker found that all five died as a result of “inhalation of fire fumes”.
Issuing a narrative verdict he said: “The fire started when a capacitor adjacent to a compressor in a compartment in a freezer failed and caught fire.
“The freezer was manufactured at time when the housing to the compressor and capacitor had been changed from a pressed steel to a plastic housing.
“Had the compressor been housed in a pressed steel compartment it is likely the fire would not have reached the insulation.
“The fire did reach the insulation and was fuelled by it - it spread upstairs where the family were.”
Bassam Kua, 52 and his daughter Nur, 17, escaped the property in Neasden and were treated in hospital.
Mr Kua braved the fire as he tried to save his family.
Today the builder told the Standard it was a “miracle” that Nur had survived the blaze - and said he would his devote his life to caring for her.
He said: “What has happened has happened - nothing will bring my family back.
“My heart has shattered into six pieces.
“I just hope the public will take care in the future to prevent more terrible accidents.
“It is a miracle that I have my daughter as she suffered such awful injuries. She is my only concern. I have to support her - I have to let her forget.”
