Boy, 5, falls to his death from 15th floor of Newham building ‘after mum complained about unsafe windows’

A five-year-old boy died on Thursday morning after plunging more than 50 meters from an east London tower block.

The child, named locally as Alam Makial, fell from a 15th floor window of Jacobs House on New City Road, Plaistow, shortly before 6am.

Police, paramedics and an air ambulance attended the scene from Newham but he could not be saved.

A family member arrived at the block to comfort his “devastated” relatives.

He said: “They are very sad. Devastated. I’m in a bad way. How could this happen?”

The boy’s aunt, Maryan Hadafow, said her nephew died after waking up early for school and falling out of a window while the family slept.

She added: “He was an Arsenal fan, a lovely boy.”

The aunt claimed the boy’s mother had complained five times by email about insecure doors and windows.

She added: “How many times have I complained that this is not safe for my children and no one has done anything.”

A neighbor said: “I spoke to the mum a few weeks ago and saw her and her son in the lift with her boy, he was lovely. Today he could barely speak.”

Distraught residents of the 16-story building are demanding answers about what may have happened.

Father-of-two JJ Armstrong, 33, saw a distraught man surrounding the body and shouting “my boy, my boy, he’s dead”.

He said, “I heard something outside. I looked down and saw a man standing over a child screaming “my boy, my boy, my boy is dead” over and over. He was distraught and walking around in circles was terrible to see. People were looking to see him there, he was terrible.

“I couldn’t go down there, it was too awful. A paramedic arrived to help the boy, but when she realized he was dead, she appeared very upset. She had tried to talk to him but realized he was gone.

“A police officer spoke to her because she seemed very emotional.”

He added: “We all want a full investigation into what happened. If it was a problem with the glass or anything we should know.

“I can’t fathom the image of that poor boy sitting there lifeless surrounded by the grieving man.” A 28-year-old mother-of-two said: “We are in complete shock.

“We know the family. The parents are at the hospital. Other family members are in the apartment.

“It seems that the boy woke up early and then fell from the window.

“It was an accident, but no one knows how it happened. People are looking for answers.”

Luka Tunjic, 65, who lives in the building, said: “I was really scared of windows when my child was little. I always closed them because it can be so dangerous. I live on the tenth floor. I feel so sorry for my neighbors it’s a tragedy.”

Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Mayor of Newham, added: “I am heartbroken at the tragic incident in Plaistow this morning.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and all those affected.

“I am being kept informed by council officers and we have a team on site to support the police and provide reassurance to residents at this devastating time.”

The principal of New City Primary School, which the boy attended, and staff laid flowers on a bench at the scene on Thursday afternoon. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “We were called at 5.58am on Thursday 16 May to reports that a child had fallen from a height on New City Road, E13.

“Officers, London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance attended.

“At the scene, a five-year-old boy fell from an upper floor of a block of flats.

“Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he unfortunately died at the scene. His family is aware and is being supported.

“The death is being treated as unexpected and inquiries are being made to establish the full circumstances.

“Our thoughts are with the child’s family at this time.

“There were no arrests. A scene remains in place.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We were called at 5.59am today to reports of a person who had fallen from a height on New City Road, Plaistow.

“We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a rapid response car and an incident response officer. We also sent a trauma team in a car from the London Air Ambulance.

“Our first paramedics were on the scene in about four minutes.

“Very sad, a child was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Newham Council said: “We are deeply sorry to hear of this devastating incident, our sincere condolences to all those affected.

“We have staff on site to provide reassurance to residents at this difficult time while we work with partners to establish all the facts.”