Mum’s heartbreaking tribute as she says daughter, 4, was ‘the most amazing thing to walk this planet’ after blast death | The Sun

A DEVASTATED mum has paid a heart-breaking tribute to her daughter killed when their house exploded, saying: "She was the most amazing thing to ever walk this planet."

Sahara Salman died just a month before her fifth birthday following the horror blast in Thornton Heath, South London.

The gas explosion razed the family's terraced home to the ground on Galpin's Road around 7am on Monday leaving three others injured.

Speaking for the first time since the tragic incident, her mother Sana Ahmad told The Evening Standard: "We had so many plans in place.

“This world didn’t deserve somebody who was so special. It’s our loss. She was the most amazing thing to ever walk this planet.”

The mum said little Sahara was meant to be starting school in September – "her uniform was bought", she added.

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Ms Ahmad, 28, said she was on the phone to her mother when the blast happened – sending debris hundreds of feet into the air.

Two adults and an 11-year-old boy were rescued from the wreckage of the property and a desperate search was launched to find Sahara, London Fire Brigade said.

She was later found amongst the rubble.

Her mum said she was in the box room when the blast happened, two other children were with Ms Ahmad in her bedroom and the eldest child was in a room near the garden.

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More than 100 people were evacuated from the area, which has now been confirmed by Merton Council as being caused by a gas explosion.

Southern Gas Networks (SGN) were carrying works out on the street at the time of the explosion, with neighbours complaining of a smell of gas "for weeks".

On Monday the firm told The Sun their engineers are working with investigators establish the cause of the explosion.

They added: "Following the explosion in Galpin’s Road, Thornton Heath earlier today, our deepest sympathies are with the family of the child who has tragically died as well as those who have been injured.

"We’d like to reassure everyone that our engineers are working closely with the emergency services to establish the cause of the explosion.

"Given the ongoing Police investigation, it is inappropriate to comment any further at this stage."

Ms Ahmad has now accused SGN of “negligence” and says she contacted the gas supplier about a suspected leak on July 30.

The family were allegedly "given an appointment" before the blast killed their daughter.

She slammed: "All of this could have been prevented if people weren’t being lazy and did their job properly."

Close family friend Thoheed Maricar, 52, said: “Neighbours had reported the smell of gas for about a week."

A large pile of rubble surrounded by red and white fencing is all that remains of the collapsed house.

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Officers in high visibility jackets can be seen marshalling the cordon while mourners continue to drop off tributes to the victim.

Residents are still unable to return home.

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