What an horrific way to die, I can't bear to think about it. I adored her - She was an absolute treasure, both on and off the screen.' The investigation into the cause of the fire continues and I must express my thanks to the London Fire Brigade, their knowledge and experience has been crucial in helping us understand what may have happened that dreadful night.’

Grandfather could be forced to sell his own house after spending thousands of pounds in legal planning disputes after removing his own wall Another neighbour added: “I knew her from EastEnders, it was like having a celebrity living in the street. She was a lovely old lady and always spoke to everyone.”Neighbour Sunny Soodh said: 'It was awful to hear those screams. We all knew Anna, she was a lovely lady but very isolated in recent times. About three fire engines turned up, two ambulances and the police but they couldn't save her. It's heart breaking and we'll miss her.' Ch Supt Dave Stringer, borough commander for Croydon, Bromley and Sutton police, confirmed that the children were related.

In a post on Facebook, the grandfather wrote: “I am devastated to say that the horrendous house fire that took place in Sutton last night leading to four children loosing their life’s [sic] were my amazing smart and beautiful grandsons. Throughout the day today our crews will be in the local community to offer support and advice to those affected by this fire.

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There have been a number of cases of e-bike batteries or chargers catching fire in recent months. LFB has previously issued safety warnings due to the number of fires, which have seen entire homes destroyed and, tragically, led to the death of a mother and two children.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Garth Hall said: ‘Firstly, I want to express my sincere condolences to all those affected by this terrible incident. She also starred as Aunt Sal, sister of Peggy Mitchell, in EastEnders for which she was best known - an on-and-off part spanning more than 20 years.I cared for him all through his difficult time – about three years ago he suffered a stroke. I counselled him through depression. He treated me like a sister and I treated him as an older brother. We were very close.” Taking to Reddit, one fan shared a spoiler photo from the soap's next week of episodes, writing alongside it: "There's someone very clearly holding flowers and upset so someone definitely does die in the fire. Bernie and Karen also feature in the pictures."