Hero father returned to blazing flat in Brixton to prevent a ‘Grenfell-style inferno’

BY CALUM FRASER
calum@slpmedia.co.uk

A heroic father-of-four raced back into a burning flat in a bid to avert what he thought could be a Grenfell-style inferno.

Jonathan Kabesha rushed his terrified family, including a 17-month-old baby, out of their fourth floor flat in Brixton after a stray firework entered an open window and exploded in the living room.

Mr Kabesha’s wife, Wivine, suddenly remembered that she had left the gas cooker on in the kitchen and screamed at her husband to return to the house and turn it off fearing it could cause a huge blaze.

The 47-year-old risked his life by running back into the smoke filled flat in Northgate Court, he turned off the cooker and jumped over the creeping flames as he ran out again.

Mrs Kabesha, a healthcare assistant at the Princess Royal Hospital, said of her husband: “He is mine and the children’s hero. Thank god he had that courage to run back in.

“All the time I was thinking it could be another Grenfell disaster. There were three gas hobs on and if the fire reached them then who knows what could have happened.”

Northgate Court is an XX-storey tower block made up of council homes. Most of the homes are family units, according to Mrs Kabesha.

The horrific incident took place on Sunday October 21 at around 5pm after the family had returned from church.

Mr Kabesha was in the living room with his 17-month-old daughter Tabitha and son Emmanuel, 5, watching music videos on the TV, while his wife and daughter Eunice, 12, were in the kitchen.

The firework then crashed through an open window, picking up clothes that were hung on the balcony on its way, and exploded in front of Mr Kabesha. Flames erupted around him.

Mr Kabesha, a McDonald’s employee and part-time student, said: “The firework ripped the curtains off the wall and exploded on the ceiling. “It was a huge bang.

Emmanuel started shouting fire, fire, fire. In two minutes the whole room was full of smoke. I was fighting to save my baby’s life.

“Wivine and Eunice were screaming, daddy, daddy. We were all panicking and scared that we would lose control. We made it to the front door and were in the corridor when my wife remembered the kitchen and the gas.

“She told me to go back and switch it off. We thought it could be another Grenfell.

“I wasn’t scared. I don’t know why, so I did jump again over the fire and went back in.

This community matters to me, if you can save the community just do it. I went in without thinking about myself.”

The family ran down the stairs calling to neighbours to get out.

The Kabesha’s had lived in Northgate Court for 13 years.

Mr Kabesha said: “We are traumatised. My wife and I cannot go back to work at the moment. I have been dreaming about the fire.

“Why did it happen? I don’t know if we were targeted. My children think we were. It is not safe to take them back there now.

“It took us 13 years to build that home and in 15 minutes the whole place was destroyed and turned to ashes”

The family have been moved to temporary accommodation in Thornton Heath.

Lambeth council have told them that they could move back to Northcoat in a few months, according to Mrs Kabesha.

She said: “It is an absolute no. I will not take my children back to that place now.  It is too dangerous.”

A Metropolitan police spokeswoman said: “Police were called by the London Fire Brigade at around 5:23pm on Sunday, October 21 to reports of a fire at a residential property on Northgate Court.

“Officers attended and found the fire, believed to have been caused by a firework, had been put out. “All occupants managed to leave the building and no injuries were reported.

No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.”

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: “We were called at 4:55pm to a residential block of flats and maisonettes of six floors to reports of a fire on the 4th and 5th floors.

“Forty per cent of the house was damaged in the fire. It was under control by 5:53pm.

“Two fire engines from Brixton station attended. We are running an investigation alongside the police.

“We believe this could be the first firework incident to have caused significant house fire this season.

“We urge people to go to organised displays as opposed to using fireworks personally.

“If you are exiting the building, make sure the cooker is switched off.”