UK Muslim mother grieving after death of daughter in gas explosion

A mother lost her 4-year-old daughter, who was killed in a gas explosion in London. She accused the Southern Gas Networks of negligence after it allegedly ignored a complaint about a suspected gas leak in July. (AP/File)

• Sana Ahmad says ‘incredible little girl’ died after gas company’s negligence
• ‘The explosion was so bad that it almost felt like missiles were dropped on the properties’

LONDON: A Muslim mother is mourning the death of her 4-year-old daughter, who was killed in a gas explosion in London.
Sana Ahmad, 28, said her world has been “torn apart” after the incident that killed Sahara Salman, “her incredible little girl,” the Evening Standard reported on Wednesday.
She accused the gas supplier to her home, Southern Gas Networks, of negligence after it allegedly ignored a complaint about a suspected gas leak in July, despite an engineer inspecting the property.
“I made a phone call to my mum because we had arranged for her to collect the children. My mum was going to make her way to the house at about 7:05 a.m. So, I’m on the phone and within seconds she heard me scream because there was a big bang,” Ahmad said.
“My instinct was to grab all my children but as I’d gone to the hallway Sahara’s room had collapsed already … The explosion was so bad that it almost felt like missiles were dropped on the properties. That’s how quickly the building started to fall down.
“My mum identified the smell on July 30. The first call we made to them was on the same day at 3:57 p.m.
“He (the engineer) said that he would send another guy who was higher up than him to inspect the property because he wasn’t totally sure. Unfortunately other guy never did show up. The work wasn’t fully carried out. They did tell us there were loads of little gas leaks — they said that pipes had been leaking but that they were minor leaks.
“The saddest thing is that we tried to prevent this from happening. The gas people should have ensured the safety of not only us, but every single person who lives in that area.
“Now we’re all suffering — the whole community. And now we all have to live with the trauma of a little girl dying.”
Ahmad’s local MP Siobhain McDonagh said: “This should never have happened, we will get to the bottom of it.”
A spokesman for Southern Gas Networks said: “Our deepest sympathies are with the family of the child who has tragically died as well as those injured.
“We’d like to reassure everyone that our engineers are working closely with the emergency services.
“Given the ongoing police investigation, it is inappropriate to comment any further at this stage.”