A plumber died after being electrocuted at the home of a New Cross family - who were also hospitalised following electric shocks as they tried to help him, witnesses say.

Neighbours say the plumber had been in the Godley Close fourth-floor flat trying to unblock a sink when he accidentally electrocuted himself on a washing machine.

The dad-of-three who lived in the flat reportedly tried to help, putting his hand on the man's shoulder and suffering an electric shock himself. When his wife came in and also tried to help, she was also injured as her young children looked on.

Neighbour Yohandes Berhe said the Nigerian couple's 14-year-old son had come knocking on his door for help.

He explained: "The child was crying and comes and knocks on my door.

"He said 'my mum and dad have had an accident, they're lying on the floor'."

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The couple's son went to neighbour Yohandes Berhe for help

Mr Berhe went on: "The engineer had the first shock. When the dad went to see what happened and touched him he's got a shock.

"Then the wife came in to see what was happening and again got shocked.

"The young girl tried to get to her mum and her brother told her 'no, no' and stopped her."

The 33-year-old cleaner said the surge of electricity blew out the lights in the family's kitchen.

He said that, after calling an ambulance, paramedics gave the dad CPR and helped the mum, who was vomiting, but the plumber sadly died at the scene.

Mr Berhe added: "They are a very good family. They had just finished celebrating New Year. It was very sad to see the next day."

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Fire crews were called to the block after reports of a strong chemical smell - believed to be from the fluid being used to unblock the sink - and evacuated around 100 people who spent the night on a bus parked around the corner.

Neighbour Nathan Ajoe, 28, said: "There was a chap lying in an ambulance who I believe got the first shock. They were working on him for hours."

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: "A woman and three children from the flat involved were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering from the effects of the fumes. 

"Two men who were in the flat at the time are also believed to have suffered a possible electric shock. One of them, also affected by fumes, was taken to hospital, but sadly the other man was pronounced dead at the scene."

The incident was left in the hands of the Met Police at 1am.