Mother in Nottingham flat fire dies as two children also killed in blaze named
Two children killed in a Nottinghamshire flat fire have been named by police as they said their mother has also died.
Naeemah Drammeh, aged one, and three-year-old sister Fatimah, were taken to Queen’s Medical Centre along with their mother after the blaze in Fairisle Close, Clifton, in the early hours of Sunday.
The sisters were pronounced dead at the hospital.
Nottinghamshire Police said their mother Fatoumatta Hydara, aged 28, had been placed on a life support machine, but died on Tuesday morning.
Sky’s Midlands correspondent Becky Johnson, speaking from the scene of the fire, said the children’s father had been away in America at the time of the blaze.
“He was actually here yesterday,” she said. “He had boarded a plane as soon as he could to get back, having heard this dreadful news.
“He was shell-shocked when he was here and was on his way to the hospital to be at his wife’s bedside – so desperately sad for him now, not only having to cope with the loss of his two young children, but also the loss of his wife.”
A triple murder inquiry is under way after a joint fire and police investigation.
A 31-year-old man from Clifton was arrested on Sunday night on suspicion of murder.
Detectives have been given more time to question him, and he remains in custody.
Fatoumatta Hydara with her daughters Naeemah Drammeh, aged one, and three-year-old Fatimah
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Sinski, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are dealing with one of the most horrendous crimes – the death of two young children and their mother.
“This is a deeply upsetting tragedy and I can only imagine the family’s pain. They include the woman’s husband and the father of the two children, who was not in the UK at the time of the fire.”
He added: “A large team of detectives has been working long days and nights to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.”
The fire, which started at around 3.17am, was extinguished at around 4am.
Neighbouring properties were temporarily evacuated during the incident.
Police at the scene of the flat fire in Clifton, Nottingham
Colin Brown, a neighbour, told Sky News: “They were a nice family. She did keep herself to herself, but she would always say hello, and the kids always said hello… I don’t know who would want to do this to them.”
Police said increased patrols would continue in the area over the coming days.
DCI Sinski thanked those who have already come forward, and appealed for anyone else with information – “regardless of how insignificant you think it may be” – to contact the force.
“We would specifically like to speak to anyone who was in or around Fairisle Close between 12am and 4.30am on Sunday morning,” he said.
Witnesses or anyone with information can call 101 and ask for Nottinghamshire Police quoting incident 110 of 20 November 2022, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Nigel Farage has told Sky News he “can’t be pushed or bullied” by anybody after Elon Musk said the Reform MP “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead his party.
In an interview with Sky’s political correspondent Ali Fortescue, Mr Farage said he has spoken with the billionaire owner of X since his criticism on 5 January, when Mr Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
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Asked if the pair are still friends, Mr Farage said: “Of course we’re friends. He just says what he thinks at any moment in time.”
He added he has “been in touch” with Mr Musk, though wouldn’t divulge what they had discussed.
“Look, he said lots of supportive things. He said one thing that wasn’t supportive. I mean, that’s just the way it is,” Mr Farage said.
Musk and Farage met in December. Pic: PA
Asked if he was afraid to criticise the tech mogul, the Clacton MP said the situation was “the opposite”, and he openly disagreed with Mr Musk on his views on far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Mr Farage said: “What he [Musk] was saying online was that effectively Tommy Robinson was a political prisoner and I wouldn’t go along with that.
“If I had gone along with that, he wouldn’t have put out a tweet that was against me.
“By the way, you know, I can’t be pushed or bullied or made to change by anybody.
“I stick to what I believe.”
Mr Musk has endorsed Robinson and claimed he was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.
But Mr Farage said that Robinson, who is serving an 18-month jail term for contempt of court, isn’t welcome in Reform UK and neither are his supporters.
He said: “If people within Reform think Tommy Robinson should be a member of Reform and play a central role in Reform, that disagreement is absolutely fundamental.
“I’ve never wanted to work with people who were active in the BNP. I’ve made that clear right throughout the last decade of my on/off political career. So that’s what the point of difference is.”
Despite their disagreement, Mr Farage said he is confident Mr Musk will continue to support Reform and “may well” still give money to it.
The entrepreneur has previously spoken positively about Reform UK and there have been suggestions he could make a multi-million-pound donation in its favour.
Devolution plans ‘denial of democracy’
Mr Farage was speaking from Reform’s South East of England Conference, one of a series of regional events aimed at building up the party’s support base.
Elsewhere in the interview, he hit out at the Labour government’s devolution plans which could see some local elections scheduled for May postponed.
This would apply when councils seek permission to reorganise, so that smaller district authorities merge with other nearby ones to give them more sway over their area.
Mr Farage, who is hoping to make gains in the spring contests, claimed the plans are not about devolution but about “elections being cancelled”.
“I thought only dictators cancelled elections. This is unbelievable and devolution or a change to local government structures is being used as an excuse,” he said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier this month. Pic: PA
He claimed Tory-controlled councils are “grabbing it like it’s a life belt”, because they fear losing seats to Reform.
“It’s an absolute denial of democracy,” he added.
Mr Farage was also asked why many Reform members don’t like to speak on camera about why they support his party.
He said he did not accept there was a toxicity associated with Reform and claimed there was “institutional bias against anybody that isn’t left of centre”.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.
The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”
Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.
CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.
The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.
Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.
CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”
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