Fatiha Sabrin: Chemicals removed from flat where 11-year-old died and residents evacuated

14 December 2021, 13:55 | Updated: 14 December 2021, 21:07

Fatiha Sabrin died as chemicals were discovered at a property in Shadwell
Fatiha Sabrin died as chemicals were discovered at a property in Shadwell. Picture: Handout

By Will Taylor

Police are "doing everything we can" to find out what happened when an 11-year-old girl died at a flat in South London.

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The Met said chemicals, thought to be used as pest control, had been discovered at a block of flats in Sutton Street, Shadwell.

Officers rushed to the scene after being told a child was unresponsive on Saturday afternoon, but after being taken to hospital she was pronounced dead.

The girl is thought to be Fatiha Sabrin, whose next of kin have been made aware. She was considered to be talented and had impressed judges in a writing competition, reports said.

Formal identification has not yet taken place and a special post-mortem exam is scheduled.

A woman and another child are still in hospital, though their injuries are not considered life-threatening.

Read more: Girl, 11, dies and three taken to hospital as chemicals discovered in block of flats

A number of others in the building received treatment after feeling unwell, and the block has been evacuated as a precaution.

Work is under way to remove the chemicals from the block.

Detective Chief Superintendent Marcus Barnett, who is in charge of policing for Tower Hamlets and Hackney, said: "Our thoughts remain first and foremost with Fatiha and her family.

"This is a tragic incident and we are doing everything we can to support them at this time and to understand what has happened.

"All other residents in the building were evacuated as a precaution and we understand that it is very distressing for them to be away from their homes.

"We are working closely with the local authority to ensure residents' needs are being met and to provide timely updates as to when they may be allowed back into their properties."