PEOPLE are expected to be allowed back into their flats later today after a fire in Heston in which a woman leapt to her death this morning.

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said it hoped to provide access for the people living in the block of flats, other than those directly beside the property where the blaze started, later this afternoon.

"We will try to get as many people back in their properties as possible and enable others to collect their belongings," he told the Chronicle.

New Heston Road remains closed at the junction with Heston Road but the road is expected to reopen this evening.

A woman, aged 44, jumped about 30 feet from the second floor window of a flat in New Heston Road, Heston, this morning after the blaze broke out at about 1.30am. She is believed to have been killed after hitting the cash machine below.

Two men, aged 18 and 37, also jumped from the window and are being treated in hospital. A police spokesman said their injuries were serious but not believed to be life-threatening.

Another body, believed to be that of a man, was later discovered inside the flat.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and it is being treated as 'unexplained' by police.

Sofia Pinheiro, who lives two doors along from the flat affected, was woken by a loud explosion which she initially thought was a plane.

"I heard people calling for help and some were screaming for Allah," said the 19-year-old.

"My flatmate said he saw one person hit the cash machine below before falling to the ground."

Igor Stafuzza, a 27-year-old copywriter who also lives in the block of flats, said: "I heard a loud bang, which sounded like a car exploding, and felt the walls shaking.

"I went outside and people in the flats were asking for help, crying and yelling ‘fire, fire, fire’."

Deelip Silwal, who lives across the road from the fire, saw one of the men jump from the window.

He said people pulled a mattress out on to the ground below, where it remained this morning surrounded by shattered glass, but it was too late for those who jumped.

"The fire was really massive. I could see people at the window and saw them breaking the glass and getting ready to jump," he said.

"When I came out a woman was already on the ground unconscious and then a man jumped and I saw the police give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."

The fire brigade was called to the scene at 1.39am and about 58 firefighters tackled the inferno before bringing it under control by 4.20am.

Between 30 and 50 people were evacuated from the flats and given refuge in Heston Village Hall, just down the road.

Hounslow Council is helping four families find alternative accommodation, with others understood to be staying with their families and friends.

The woman who jumped was given first aid by police before being pronounced dead at the scene at 2.34am. She is believed to have been in a relationship with one of the men who jumped.

Hounslow FoodBox has offered to provide food for those affected by the fire. For more information, call Oonah Lacey on 0771 8263 614.