Elderslie house fire: Homicide detectives join probe into blaze that killed suspected intruder

Homicide detectives have joined an investigation into the fiery death of a suspected home invader in southwest Sydney on Saturday night. Witnesses told police they saw three men enter the house with jerry cans but only two came out.

Homicide detectives have joined an investigation into the fiery death of a suspected home invader in southwest Sydney.

Police have been told three men entered a house in Crank Place, Elderslie at 11.30pm Saturday when neighbours heard shouting and loud banging noises.

A fire broke out in the front room of the house, with the seven occupants and two of the three suspected intruders fleeing the blaze.

Residents had to flee the fire but one man, believed to be one of the intruders, perished. Picture: 7 News

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Police suspect two of the home invaders sped off in a getaway car, while the third perished in the house fire.

No arrests had been made on Monday as forensic police spent a second full day examining the grisly scene.

Homicide Squad detectives have been notified about the incident, with Camden Police leading the case.

Police photograph the scene, including a jerry can on the lawn, on Sunday morning. Picture: 7 News

Fire damage is seen on the garage of the house at Crank Place. Picture: Dean Asher

One neighbour said she and her family saw the intruders carry jerry cans into the house and were stunned to see the local family caught up in the incident.

“The family is quite nice,” the woman said.

“(The dead man) was probably one of the intruders. No one really knows, but we heard the banging. Our kids alerted us and we came over.

“There was a guy with a jerry can. There was probably two of them, but we thought there was only one. He had a hood … and his hand over his mouth when he was coming back to the car and drove off. But the other one got burnt in the house.

Neighbours reported hearing arguments before the house went up in flames. Picture: Dean Asher

Paul Cordon said he heard a “commotion” inside the house as the fire spread before the windows of the home blew out.

“There was a hell of a lot of … banging and slamming, I didn’t know whether it was because the fire had taken hold, or, you know something else was going on,” he told 7 News

“I saw my neighbours … come running over to the fence, they jumped the fence, went up towards the front door, and they were yelling and screaming, and I saw them starting backing away from the place. I really started to panic then.”

Several others inside the house were treated for smoke inhalation. Picture: Dean Asher

Two police officers were treated for smoke inhalation with one sustaining also suffering a fractured hand.

“When fire crews arrived they found a fire in the front part of the house, with reports of people trapped inside, firefighters immediately began attacking the fire and searching the house for the occupants,” Inspector Andrew Ticehurst said.

A kitten is believed to have been rescued from home and taken to a vet for treatment.