Flames engulfed the property in western Sydney’s Lalor Park early Sunday morning, trapping a 28-year-old man, his female companion, and seven children inside, according to New South Wales state police.
Three children — two boys aged three and six, and a 10-month-old girl — were killed.
These children deserved a loving home with safety and security, and instead they are gone.”
The four other children aged between four and 11 and their mother, 29, were being treated at hospital for fire-related injuries but were all expected to recover, police said.
“This is a horrifying and senseless act that has quite rightly outraged the entire state,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said Monday.
“Police allege a 28-year-old man, who is now in custody, tried to stop police and other emergency services from rescuing the children from the burning home.
Police said the three deaths were being investigated as a domestic-related multiple homicide.
Following a jump in the number of violent deaths of women this year and a spate of high-profile attacks, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has branded domestic violence in Australia as a “national crisis”.
According to Superintendent Pietruszka, police will charge the 28-year-old with attempting to prevent neighbours and emergency services from “heroically” rescuing the youngsters.
“The building was on fire, police approached, as did a neighbour, quite heroic in what they did in trying to get entry into a place that as stated was well on fire,.
“The neighbour did try to assist and I believe those actions, as well, saved further life from being lost.”
State police said the 28-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly “frustrated” police efforts to enter the burning building.
He was in an induced coma while being treated in hospital, under police guard, they said.
“It does appear that the 28-year-old man is responsible for multiple deaths,” state homicide squad commander Danny Doherty told reporters on Sunday.
The suspect allegedly acted with “the intention of keeping the kids inside the premises whilst the fire was happening,” he said.
