5-year-old boy dies after falling from block of flats in east London

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A five-year-old boy has died after falling from an upper floor in an east London high-rise.

Emergency services were called to reports that a child had fallen on a property in New City Road, Plaistow, just before 6am on Thursday.

Crews from the London Ambulance Service attended, including a trauma team sent from the air ambulance team, fire and police.

The child was found and treated by paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene, where a police cordon remained.

His family are aware of his death and are being supported by specialist officers.

A neighbor who called 911 said the boy’s father was inconsolable.

Ansert Davis, who lives in Jacobs House, said he saw the boy’s father after the tragic incident.

“He’s rolling on the floor saying ‘my son.’ I ran and tried to talk to the father but he is inconsolable,” he said.

Mr Davis said the boy’s mother was “upset”.

He saw another neighbor running to try to help.

“He came running, took one look at the child, and came back trembling.”

Visibly moved, he added: ‘I can still see the image in my head. It’s so sad, I have a grandson that age. God, it’s like seeing your own children.”

Luka Tunjic, 65, who said he lives in the building, said: “I was very scared of windows when my child was little.

“I’ve always locked them up because it can be so dangerous. I live on the tenth floor. I feel so sorry for my neighbors; it’s a tragedy.”

A spokesman for Newham Council said: “We are deeply sorry to hear about 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.”

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 sadly, a child was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The Metropolitan Police said the child’s death was being treated as “unexpected” and inquiries were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding his fall.

No arrests have been made.

“Our thoughts are with the child’s family at this time,” police said in a statement.