A man in Sydney’s west is accused of trying to hinder emergency services after his three children died in a house fire.
One of them, a ten-month-old infant, was found dead when the incident was put out. The other two, a two and four-year-old, died in hospital.
Det Supt. Danny Doherty said the incident is being treated as a homicide case.
He said the man allegedly tried to prevent the firefighters and police from entering his home after it was consumed by fire.
Emergency services were called to Freeman St at around 1am.
Five fire trucks were dispatched, but the well-established fire prevented them from entering the house.
A neighbor, who was also reportedly a hero, helped save other people from the burning building.
The firefighters then extinguished the fire before the body of the 10-month-old child was discovered inside.
The three other children were taken to the hospital in critical condition, but they later died.
The victims are yet to be identified. Four other kids, aged six, nine, seven, and eleven, were taken to the hospital by paramedics. They were in stable condition.
The children’s injuries are not considered to be life-threatening, and the police will seek to speak with them.
Their mother, who was also taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation, was reportedly frustrated by the police’s efforts to enter the house.
A man was apprehended at the scene, and police were not able to confirm reports that he was armed as he tried to prevent other people from entering the house.
However, Pietruszka noted that this issue would be looked into as part of the investigation.
He confirmed that the man was the father and lived in the house with the three deceased kids.
He was taken to the hospital after he suffered smoke inhalation.
He was then placed under police guard, and he is currently in an induced coma as a result of his condition.
NSW Fire and Rescue’s Adam Dewberry said that emergency crews were able to save some of the people inside the house.