1. A family trapped in the fire

1. A family trapped in the fire

Crime Next Door · 2025-05-20

A normally quiet residential street in Harlow is woken in the middle of the night to screams for help. Doctor Abdul Shakoor jumps from the bedroom window of his Essex home as fire rages through the living room downstairs. His wife and five children are still inside.

What Adbul didn't know then is that he’ll be the only family member to survive and also that someone else may have been in the house.

Written and produced by Gabby ColensoPresenter: Sonia WatsonSound Design: John Cameron-McIntoshStory Consultants: Barney Rowntree and Ben RobinsonOnline Producer: Rachael SmithSeries Editor: Shahid HussainCommissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin

A BBC Essex production for BBC Sounds.

Crime Next Door

Gripping True Crime stories from neighbourhoods across the UK.

Series 6: Who Killed The Shakoors?A father is the sole survivor of a house fire that killed his wife and five children. Follow his story of unimaginable loss and the on-going fight for justice.

Previously on Crime Next Door:

Series 1. An Assassin Comes to Town Gunshots kickstart an extraordinary tale of state terrorism.

Series 2. Servants and SaintsExploring the story and allegations of a global religious group.

Series 3. Death on the FarmAfter fifty years the community of Llangolman seek justice.

Series 4. The Salisbury PoisoningsFollow the public inquiry into the death of Dawn Sturgess.

Series 5. The Golden Toilet HeistExploring a story of art, mystery and a solid gold toilet stolen from a British palace.

  • No. of episodes: 54
  • Latest episode: 2025-06-17
  • True Crime

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