An inquest has heard how a mother, her three children, and two guests tragically died. The cause was a firework ignited a recycling bin during Diwali celebrations. This sparked one of London’s most devastating house fires since Grenfell.
Seema Ratra, 47, and her children Riyan, 11, Arohi, 8, and Shanaya, 4, perished alongside married couple Nitin Chopra, 28, and Sandhya Chopra, 20, who had been staying at the family’s home in Hounslow on 12 November 2023.
The blaze tore through the property in minutes. Despite heroic efforts by father Aroen Kishen—who suffered burns and lost consciousness while trying to fight the flames with a garden hose—six lives were lost.
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Cause of the blaze
London Fire Brigade investigators concluded the likely cause was the ignition of a firework that landed in a bin of cardboard waste. Open doors—left ajar as part of the Diwali tradition to welcome the goddess Lakshmi—created a “chimney effect”. This rapidly spread smoke and flames through the property.
Fireworks and sparklers were also found stored inside the house. However, police confirmed there was no evidence of criminality or negligence.
Fire spread “extremely rapidly”
Neighbours initially mistook smoke for Diwali festivities. But flames soon engulfed the home. A 999 call at 10:26pm brought firefighters within five minutes, yet the blaze was already out of control.
It took ten fire engines and 70 firefighters 35 minutes to bring the inferno under control. The property was completely destroyed.
Pathologists confirmed all six victims died from inhalation of fire fumes, passing away within minutes of the fire taking hold.
Coroner’s ruling
Senior coroner Lydia Brown ruled all six deaths were accidental, calling the fire a “catastrophic” tragedy. She praised Mr Kishen for his dignity “in the face of losing everything.”
London Fire Brigade response
North West Area Deputy Assistant Commissioner Paul Askew described the blaze as one of the most significant in London since Grenfell.
He warned:
“This tragic accident highlights the dangers fireworks can pose, particularly during cultural and religious celebrations. We will continue to work with communities across London to raise awareness. Diwali celebrations. An inquest ruled the blaze accidental.
