A five-year-old boy died on Thursday morning after plunging more than 150ft from a tower block in east London.
The child, named locally as Alam Makial, fell out of a window on the 15th floor of Jacobs House on New City Road, Plaistow shortly before 6am.
Police, paramedics and an air ambulance arrived at the scene in 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. They are in a bad way. How can this have happened?”
The boy’s aunt, Maryan Hadafow, said her nephew had died after getting up early for school and fell out of the window while the family were sleeping.
She added: “He was an Arsenal fan, a lovely boy.”
The aunt claimed that the boy’s mother had complained five times via email about unsafe doors and windows.
She added: “How many times she complained this is not safe for my kids, and no-one did anything.”
A neighbour said: “I spoke to the mum a few weeks ago and I saw her with her son in the lift with her boy, he was lovely. Today she could barely speak.”
Distraught residents of the 16-storey building are demanding answers about the tragedy could have happened.
JJ Armstrong, 33, a father of two girls, saw a distraught man circling the body and screaming “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‘ repeatedly. He was distraught and walking in circles it was terrible to see. People looked out to see him there it was terrible.
“I couldn’t go down there it was too awful. A paramedic arrived to help the boy but when she realised that he was dead she looked very upset. She had been trying to talk to him but realised he was gone.
“A police officer talked to her because she looked very emotional.”
He added: “We all want a full investigation into what happened. Whether there was a problem with the window or whatever we need to know.
“I can’t get the image of that poor boy laying there lifeless circled by the grieving man.”A mother-of-two, 28, said: “We are in utter shock.
“We know the family. The parents are at the hospital. Other family members are in the flat.
“Apparently, the boy was 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 very scared of the windows when my child was young. I always locked them as it can be so dangerous. I live on the tenth floor. I’m so sorry for my neighbours it’s a tragedy.“
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Mayor of Newham, added: “I am heartbroken following the tragic incident in Plaistow this morning.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and all those affected.
“I am being kept updated by council officers, and we have a team on site to support the police and provide reassurance to residents during this devastating time.”
The headteacher of New City primary school, where 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, May 16 to reports of a child having fallen from height at New City Road, E13.
“Officers, London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance attended.
“At the scene a five-year-old boy had fallen from an upper floor of an apartment block.
“Despite the efforts of emergency services he sadly died at the scene. His family are aware and are being supported.
“The death is being treated as unexpected and enquiries are underway 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 spokesperson said: “We were called at 5.59am today to reports of a person fallen from height on New City Road, Plaistow.
“We sent resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car and an incident response officer. We also dispatched a trauma team in a car from London’s Air Ambulance.
“Our first paramedics arrived on scene in approximately four minutes.
“Very sadly, a child was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Newham Council said: “We are deeply sorry to hear about this devastating incident, we extend our sincere condolences to all those affected.
“We have staff at the location to provide reassurance to residents at this difficult time while we work with partners to establish the full facts.”
