A five-year-old boy died on Thursday morning when he fell more than 45 metres from a high-rise building in east London.

The child, known locally as Alam Makial, fell from a 15th floor window of Jacobs House on New City Road, Plaistow, just before 6am.

Police, paramedics and a rescue helicopter arrived at the scene in Newham, but he could not be saved.

A family member came to the block to offer comfort to his “devastated” relative.

He said: “They are very sad. Devastated. They are in a bad state. How could this happen?”

The boy’s aunt, Maryan Hadafow, said her nephew died because he got up early for school and fell out of the window while the family was sleeping.

She added: “He was an Arsenal fan, a lovely boy.”

The aunt claimed that the boy’s mother had complained five times by email about unsafe doors and windows.

She added: “How many times has she complained that it is not safe for my children and nobody has done anything.”

A neighbor said: “I spoke to the mother a few weeks ago and saw her in the elevator with her son. He was sweet. Today she could hardly speak.”

Desperate residents of the 16-story building are demanding answers as to what kind of tragedy might have occurred.

JJ Armstrong, 33, father of two girls, saw a distraught man walking around the body, screaming: “My boy, my boy, he’s dead.”

He said: “I heard something outside. I looked down and saw a man standing over a child, repeatedly screaming ‘my boy, my boy, my boy is dead’. He was desperate and running in circles, it was horrible to watch. People looked out and saw him there, it was horrible.

“I couldn’t go there, it was too horrible. A paramedic came to help the boy, but when she realised he was dead she looked very distraught. She had tried to talk to him, but then she realised he was gone.

“A police officer spoke to her because she seemed very emotional.”

He added: “We all want a full investigation into the incident. Whether there was a problem with the window or whatever we need to know.”

“I can’t bear the image of the poor boy lying there lifeless, surrounded by the grieving man.” A 28-year-old mother of two said: “We are in shock.

“We know the family. The parents are in the hospital. Other family members are in the apartment.”

“Apparently the boy was awake early and then fell out of the window.

“It was an accident, but nobody knows how it happened. People are looking for answers.”

Luka Tunjic, 65, who lives in the building, said: “I was very afraid of the windows when my child was small. I always locked them because they can be so dangerous. I live on the tenth floor. I feel so sorry for my neighbours, it’s a tragedy.”

Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Mayor of Newham, added: “I am heartbroken by the tragic incident in Plaistow this morning.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and all those affected.

“I am being kept updated by council officers and we have a team on site supporting the police and providing reassurance to residents during this devastating time.”

The headteacher of New City Primary School, which the boy attended, and staff laid flowers on a bench at the scene of the accident on Thursday afternoon. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘We were called at 5.58am on Thursday 16 May to reports of a child falling from a height in New City Road, E13.

“Officers, representatives from the London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and London Air Rescue were on duty.

“At the scene of the accident, a five-year-old boy had fallen from the upper floor of an apartment block.

“Despite the efforts of the rescue services, he unfortunately died at the scene of the accident. His family has been informed and is receiving support.”

“The death is being treated as unexpected and an investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances.

“Our thoughts are with the child’s family at this time.

“There were no arrests. The crime scene is still present.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We were called at 5.59am today to reports of a person falling from a height on New City Road in Plaistow.

“We sent emergency personnel to the scene, including ambulances, a paramedic in a response vehicle and an incident commander. We also sent a trauma team in a London Ambulance Helicopter vehicle.

“Our first paramedics arrived on the scene after about four minutes.

“Unfortunately, the death of a child was confirmed at the scene of the accident.”

Newham Council said: “We deeply regret this devastating incident and extend our sincere condolences to all those affected.”

“We have staff on site reassuring residents during this difficult time while we work with partners to establish all the facts.”