Three children dead after house fire in Sydney's west being treated as domestic violence incident
By Tony Ibrahim, Ethan Rix, and Holly TregenzaA fire which killed three young children in a house at Lalor Park in Sydney's west is being treated as a domestic violence incident.
Fire crews were called to the scene just before 1am on Sunday.
Police said two boys, aged three and six, were treated by paramedics and taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition, but died a short time later.
Fire and Rescue crews extinguished the fire before the third child, a five-month-old girl who police initially said was 10 months old, was found dead at the scene.
Live updates
That's all from police
By Sean Baumgart
That concludes our coverage of the media conference, but our story will be updated with more information as it comes in.
You can look back on today's developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest updates.
Mother under sedation
By Sean Baumgart
Detective Doherty said the mother is aware of the tragedy but is now under sedation.
"They've just survived a traumatic fire incident where they've all been impacted physically, but they've also been impacted emotionally and mentally. That is the longer-term issue.
"Hopefully they can get through the physical injuries, but the emotional and mental issues, what they have to cope with, that will be a longer term. That is where the support comes around."
Accelerant dog investigating house
By Sean Baumgart
Fire investigators plan to spend days combing through the site, including using an accelerant dog to determine the cause of the blaze.
"That will be part of the investigations while they rake through the scene, that will take time," Doherty says.
"This won't just happen today but over days. They are the answers we will have to provide at a later stage."
Survivors 'confused and upset' in hospital
By Sean Baumgart
Detective Doherty says the survivors are all being treated in hospital.
"They're probably a little confused and upset and trying to work out what's happening to them, let alone the bigger circumstances. So, they're being treated.
"This will take some time. The sensitivity around this has not been lost on us. I think you have to remember these are young lives lost, older siblings have lost their brothers and sister, extended family that lost young lives as well, young kids and relatives and there's neighbours and friends and school friends.
"That's a broader picture and then when we've had these discussions before, with young lives lost, it's very difficult but the support will be there."
'Support each other'
By Sean Baumgart
Pietruskas: "The community will feel this impact for some time. However, they also come together in these type times.
"The tragedy in these circumstances usually brings out the good in people. You see them come together from today onwards.
"We implore those people to come together to talk to each other, to get counselling, support each other in these times."
A 'long-lasting impact' for community
By Sean Baumgart
"Of course, it's devastating," Pietruskas said.
"There is no word for it. It's completely devastating for people that know the family, they go to school with the other children that live within there.
"As you said, it's a close nit community. They know each other, they see each other regularly. This will have a long-lasting impact."
Suspect 'not known to police' before fire
By Sean Baumgart
Pietruskas: "I can confirm he is not known to police nor before the court for any other matter. Any kind of visits or anything, all I will state is that he's not before the court for any matters.
"There is no AVO. There is he's not adversely known to police at all."
Arrested man was father of victims
By Sean Baumgart
"The man that we have arrested is the father of the deceased children and obviously the mother resided with them as well. We're saying they are a family unit. I won't go into their relationship," says Jason Pietruskas.
Police suffer minor injuries
By Sean Baumgart
Doherty: "They suffered very minor injuries as a result. That was done so in a manner, as I stated is quite extraordinary circumstances when you have a building on fire and you are trying to save the lives of young people."
Police and neighbour 'quite heroic'
By Sean Baumgart
"The building 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," Doherty said.
"So, I think that is the extraordinary measures that were taken. They then had to bring the offender under arrest."
Man's actions 'directly' caused deaths: police
By Sean Baumgart
Detective Doherty says police "will allege this 28-year-old man's actions were directly the cause of the death of these three young people".
Man's actions kept police away from burning house: Police
By Sean Baumgart
"There were direct actions taken which are alleged by the 28-year-old man," Doherty said.
"Those actions were intentional of keeping police and other responders and neighbours out of the property while it was on fire and to, with the intention of keeping the kids inside the premises while the fire was happening.
"We're saying their intentional acts which would cause harm to the kids."
'Young lives … tragically taken away'
By Sean Baumgart
Doherty: "At the moment, it's early in the investigation. Homicide squad detectives [...] will have a lot to do today and ongoing weeks in relation to putting together what happened.
"However, at this stage it does appear that the 28-year-old man is responsible for multiple deaths of young lives that have been tragically taken away."
'Domestic-related homicide' investigation
By Sean Baumgart
Detective Danny Doherty says the incident is being investigated as a DV offence.
"Homicide squad detectives are taking carriage of this," he said.
"We're treating this as a domestic-related homicide, multiple homicide.
"The 28-year-old man is currently in hospital. He's in an induced coma at the moment, being treated for smoke inhalation and other matters that, or other medical issues related to the fire."
Mother expected to recover
By Sean Baumgart
Pietruszkas: "The mother of the children is also being treated for various related injuries, for smoke inhalation, etc. She's also, again, believed to make a full recovery."
Other victims in hospital
By Sean Baumgart
Pietruszkas: "A number of other young children aged from 11 and under, four children to be exact, are currently being treated at various hospitals for, again, injuries related to the fire. At this stage, the information I have is those injuries are not believed to be serious."
Police 'frustrated' by male
By Sean Baumgart
Pietruszkas: "I can confirm during police attempts to get into the property, those efforts were frustrated by a male inside. He's been arrested. He has been conveyed to hospital. He's a 28-year-old male who is known to the people within that premises."
Three children dead
By Sean Baumgart
Jason Pietruszkas from NSW police says a 2-year-old boy, a five-year-old boy and a 10-month-old girl died in the fire.
Police give an update on fatal house fire
By Sean Baumgart
NSW police are about to speak journalists about an overnight fire that killed three children. We'll bring you the updates here.
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.
"I can confirm during police attempts to get into the property, those efforts were frustrated by a male inside," NSW Police Acting Superintendent Jason Pietruszka said.
The man arrested is the father of the children who died and was under police guard in hospital.
He was in an induced coma and being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.
The mother as well as three boys aged, four, seven and 11, and a nine-year-old girl, were also taken to hospital and were expected to recover.
Superintendent Pietruszka said the incident was being investigated as a domestic violence related offence, and said the man was not the subject of an AVO and was not before the court for any matter.
"He is not adversely known to police at all," Superintendent Pietruszka said.
"We're treating this as a domestic-related homicide, multiple homicide."
'Hero' neighbour
Superintendent Pietruszka said police will allege the 28-year-old tried to stop neighbours and emergency services as they "heroically" tried to rescue the children.
"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," he said.
"The neighbour did try to assist and I believe those actions, as well, saved further life from being lost."
Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty from the homicide squad said the mother is aware of the tragedy but was now under sedation.
"They've just survived a traumatic fire incident where they've all been impacted physically, but they've also been impacted emotionally and mentally," he said.
"Hopefully they can get through the physical injuries but the emotional and mental issues, what they have to cope with, that will be a longer term."
Police said the children had not been formally identified.
Firefighters search for children under 'confronting' and 'extreme' conditions
NSW Fire and Rescue superintendent Adam Dewberry said firefighters rushed into the burning home to search for the children and were met with what he described as a "confronting" scene.
"When our crews arrived they were confronted by pretty chaotic scenes with a number of adults and children who had self-evacuated," Superintendent Dewberry said.
"They got in under those fire conditions, started to knock down the fire and conducted a search under very extreme conditions."
The firefighters who found the two and four-year-olds went back into the home to search for the baby.
Superintendent Dewberry said temperatures likely reached between 600 and 700 degrees Celsius.
"They can't see … they're getting through under extreme, superheated conditions, while looking for those children," he said.
"The firefighters who found the two children actually went back in to conducted a search for the third child, but unfortunately they were unable to locate that child, who was located after the smoke had cleared.
"I watched a young child sitting on a young constable's lap while they were being treated by paramedics.
"This is just a tragedy all round. Everyone deals with these things differently; we've got to make sure that we are there for our firefighters, there for each other."
Children deserved 'caring home'
NSW Premier Chris Minns described the incident as horrifying and senseless, promising that the state would provide support to the family.
In a statement, the premier said the children deserved "love and protection and a caring home".
"Our love and thoughts are with the surviving family members," Mr Minns said.
"Our thoughts are also with the emergency service workers who fought to save lives last night, and who will also be recovering in their own way after a horrible night."
Mayor of Blacktown City Brad Bunting said he was devastated by the news and that the council would rally around the community of Lalor Park.
"We thank fire and rescue, police, and all emergency services officers for their immediate response," Mr Bunting said.
"In the days ahead, our council will look to support the heartbroken family and local residents."
Shocked locals woke to the scene this morning.
Nearby residents Graham and Elizabeth Cocks said they were devastated by the deaths.
"It's just terrible," Mr Cocks said.
"When it happens so close to home, it's happening in the suburb we have been for 20 years, just devastating to know that this sort of thing has gone on. Just awful."