24 October 2012 Last updated at 03:48 ET

Harlow fire deaths: Large funeral for Shakoors expected

Sabah Usmani and her five children died as a result of the fire at the family home

The funeral of a doctor and her five children who died in a house fire in Essex is to be held later.

Dr Sabah Usmani and her sons Sohaib, 11, and Rayyan, six, and daughter Hira, 13, died in a house fire in Harlow on 15 October.

A third son, Muneeb, nine, and daughter Maheen, three, both died in hospital.

Dr Usmani's husband Dr Abdul Shakoor, released from hospital on Friday, will lead a family and community funeral at the Harlow Islamic Centre.

The funeral service will be followed by burials at the Parndon Wood Cemetery.

The service and prayers at the Islamic Centre will finish at about 14:30 BST and the funeral cortege, consisting of six hearses, will travel to the cemetery for a private religious burial, police said.

The family and community will follow the hearses on foot to the cemetery.

This journey may take 15-20 minutes and will lead to some disruption of traffic in the area.

An investigation into the cause of the fire continues.

It is believed the fire started in the lounge area, which is towards the rear of the end-terrace house.