Flowers have been left at the home of tragic family members whose lives have been shattered after a fatal fire in Orpington.

A mother, named locally as Ranjana, 45, died, while her husband, 44, is fighting for his life after the horror fire in Cray Avenue on Monday night.

Their kids, aged 10 and 17, escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.

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A police cordon remains in place and shocked neighbours spoke to News Shopper this morning.

News Shopper:

"The lad is very polite," Tony Jones, 79, told News Shopper.

Ranjana's son is the only family member he knows.

"I used to meet him every morning as he went off to school when I would take my dog for a walk at quarter to seven.

"He is a sixth former."

Tony was speechless when asked about the fire on his road.

"Oh gosh, it is just unbelievable," Tony, who has lived in the area for over 30 years, said after gathering his thoughts.

"My neighbour next door is very upset as well."

One resident, Pat, 85, said Ranjana was a cleaner in Farnborough Hospital.

The family is believed to be from Nepal and led a quiet life.

She told News Shopper: "I knew her just as a friend and neighbour. She has two lovely kids and her husband is very quiet.

"She was a working woman and we are old so we stay indoors a lot."

On the night of the fire, Pat said she went to bed before being woken up by a "woman’s voice".

"I couldn’t say the voice was a scream, but it was just unusual to hear it," Pat added.

Speaking about the family, Pat said: "I didn’t know them very much but she was very friendly and nice.

"The kids were always polite when you spoke to them. If I was looking out the window they would always smile when walking past - they were those sort of children."

Ranjana leaves behind a son, 17, and daughter, 11.

Another neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, didn’t know the family but remembered being woken up by the fire, which firefighters were called to at 11.15pm.

"I didn’t hear anything until my daughter woke me up at 11," the woman said. "We came outside and saw all the fire engines and police.

"It was just horrible."

Fire crews from Orpington and Sidcup fire stations attended the scene and managed to douse the flames shortly after 12:30am.

Part of the ground floor, first floor and staircase of the property were damaged by flames.

The cause of the fire remains unknown and is currently being investigated by the London Fire Brigade and Met detectives.