News

Fatal house fire: Three children dead as blaze rips through family home

Jun 26, 2019

Three children died in the fatal house fire. Source: Twitter/Nine News Australia

Three children have been confirmed dead after a family home caught fire in the Singleton area of New South Wales’ Hunter Valley over night.

NSW Police confirmed the tragic news this morning, after a blaze broke out at the property in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Two young girls, whose ages have not yet been confirmed, were rushed to Singleton Hospital where they were pronounced deceased, while the body of a boy was located inside the house.

A spokesperson said: “A 31-year-old woman and an eight-year-old boy were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics at the scene for smoke inhalation, before being taken to Singleton Hospital. Their current conditions are not known.”

#BREAKING: In a tragic development, NSW Police have confirmed three children have keen killed in a house fire in the Hunter Valley. #9News pic.twitter.com/rgZkEoWAIU

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) June 25, 2019

The house is said to be home to a family of six, with neighbours telling 9News that four children are thought to have lived at the property – one boy and three girls.

Neighbours also told reporters at the scene that they awoke to hear screams coming from the home in Brittliffe Close.

“I was woken up to screams. And come out the front and the houses was on fire. It was terrible. It was horrendous. People everywhere. The firies all turned up,” one person told the news outlet.

Police have this morning launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire, after they were called, along with the fire brigade, to the scene at around 3.30am.

“Officers from Fire and Rescue NSW attended and are in the process of extinguishing the blaze,” a spokesperson added.

“When it is deemed safe to do so, police and fire investigators will examine the home to identify where and how the fire started.”