Lalor Park house fire: Three children killed in western Sydney blaze, man in custody
Shocking new claims have been made about the father who police allege killed his children by detaining them inside their burning home in Sydney’s west.
NSW
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Dean Heasman was allegedly holding the door to his housing commission home shut when police arrived, leaving him and officers in a desperate tug of war as children yelled for help on the inside.
The 28-year-old’s condition is so severe it is unclear if he himself will survive the horrific fire that claimed the lives of three of his children - a 10-month-old baby girl and two boys, aged three and six.
Heasman suffered burns to his skin and throat, as well as smoke inhalation, as he allegedly tried to prevent his partner Stacey Gammage, 29, and the terrified children from escaping the inferno that had engulfed their Lalor Park home in Sydney’s west on Sunday morning.
He was taken to hospital under police guard and placed in an induced coma for injuries including burns and smoke inhalation. No charges have been laid.
Police sources said detectives had spoken with Ms Gammage on Sunday as she and four other children recover in Westmead Hospital, as they tried to determine a motive for one of the worst alleged domestic violence attacks in NSW in living memory.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Heasman has no significant criminal history, but in 2017 did have a run in with the Australian Tax Office.
Then just 21, he pleaded guilty to making a false statement and was convicted, but avoided jail and instead was put on an 18-month good behaviour bond by the NSW Local Court - and was also ordered to pay back $2809 to the ATO.
‘Let me die here’
Heasman allegedly said “let me die here” as he tried to stop neighbours and police from entering to save his partner and seven kids.
Police sources said it would be alleged Heasman tried to drag some of the young children back into the home as they ran for their lives after he had deliberately lit the blaze.
Heasman’s alleged efforts to “prevent the rescue” attempts of neighbours and firefighters - resulted in the deaths of the baby girl and her two older brothers, aged three and six, police say.
Neighbours relive the horror
Residents have recalled the “shocking” scene which unfolded outside their homes on Sunday morning.
“There were two kids who were lying down and they were giving them CPR,” a neighbour who wished not to be named said.
“The smoke was coming out of the roof.”
Video footage of the blaze shows ambulance paramedic crews kneeling on the front lawn outside the burning property.
The neighbour also said Heasman would often ask for “money and cigarettes” and would regularly be unclothed.
St Clement’s Anglican Church staff member Paolo Santillan said the children attended the church’s “breakfast club”.
“We help them at breakfast club in the local public school,” he said.
“It’s shocking. Devastating.
“When I saw the house I was like ‘oh crap it’s them.’”
Me Santillan said the children were “really nice” and when he saw Heasman, the father didn’t talk mum.
“I haven’t seen them (the children) in two weeks, on the Wednesdays they haven’t been coming,” he said.
“I hope they recover soon.”
Heartbreaking images from scene of the fire
Heartbreaking pictures from the horrific scene portray the grief and shock that has rippled out from the brutal event.
A makeshift vigil has been created to remember the three young children killed in a horror fire, as a Western Sydney community wakes to a second day of grief and shock.
On the street where the fire broke out, it is a stark and sombre scene, with police tape still surrounding charred remains of the family home, which remains an active crime scene
Officers have also remained at the scene as they continue their investigation, combing through the site for evidence.
It comes as floral tributes bank up and three candles have being laid by grieving community members.
Just metres away from the destroyed house, children’s toys lie scattered in the backyard, untouched by the fire.
NSW Police Homicide Squad boss Danny Doherty said a major homicide investigation had been launched and that it would be alleged Heasman’s intention was to “keep the kids inside the (burning) premises”.
“At this stage it does appear that 28-year-old man is responsible for multiple deaths of young live, that have been tragically taken away,” Detective Superintendent Doherty said.
“It’s early in the investigation … but we are alleging that this 28-year-old man did certain actions to prevent the rescue of those young lives that were lost.
“We will allege … those action were responsible for keeping police and other first responding neighbours out of the property while it was on fire with the intention of keeping the kids inside the premises.
“We are treating this as a domestic (violence) related multiple homicide... This is an incredibly sad set of circumstances … it’s quite unimaginable how the family are coping with this.”
Couple had been in a relationship for a decade
Heasman and Ms Gammage had been in a relationship for close to a decade, with their joint Facebook page listing them as being “engaged”.
In that time they had not come to the attention of police, except for a recent visit when officers visited their home to check on them only to be dismissed by the pair.
Neighbours first spotted flames coming from the housing commission home about 12.55am on Sunday, before the house quickly became completely engulfed.
Damien Dubois, who lives directly across the road, woke up to the sound of “yelling or screaming” and went outside to investigate before a short time later being approached by the eldest child who had burns on both his arms.
Another neighbour Jarred Hawkins ran into the house where he confronted Heasman, with his efforts being praised by neighbours as “the reason” four children survived.
NSW Police Acting Superintendent Jason Pietruszka said when emergency services arrived minutes later they “made every attempt” to rescue those remaining in the home, but that those efforts were allegedly “frustrated” by Heasman.
Six of the children were treated at the scene for injuries and taken to Westmead Hospital, but the three-year-old and six-year-old boys died a short time later.
Forensic police removed the body of the baby girl from the house on Sunday afternoon, with dogs from the Fire and Rescue NSW K-9 unit then taken through the house.
Another neighbour Raymond Gardiner praised the efforts of Jarred Hawkins, who ran into the house and was he claimed “the reason” four children survived.
Mr Gardiner’s CCTV cameras captured the fire starting at 12.55am and having rewatched what unfolded the morning after, said within two minutes Mr Hawkins was “immediately there”.
“You could actually see and hear the explosion from the window on the left side of the property,” Mr Gardiner said.
NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry said that with so many young children involved, it was as “confronting” a scene as firefighters endure.
“Going to a house fire, you’re always expecting the worst, hoping it won’t be, but this was confronting, absolute chaos,” Supt Dewberry said.
“They got in, commenced their fire fighting operations, got in and did that search, got those two children out, handed them over to paramedics who then continued with that emergency medical treatment,” Mr Dewberry said.
“It was quite an experience to watch all the paramedics work a young child sitting on a young police officer’s lap while that child was being treated by paramedics.
“The helicopter had landed in a paddock up the road here, with the trauma doctor or the retrieval doctor on scene, so a lot of work being done by all the emergency services working together to get, you know, a better outcome.
“But unfortunately we have a tragedy this morning.”
The three deceased children are yet to be formally identified, with police launching a major investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Premier Chris Minns said the government was ready to throw its support behind the surviving family members for “as long as necessary”.
“This is horrifying and senseless - these children deserved love and protection and a caring home,” he said.
“Our love and thoughts are with the surviving family members. NSW will support them for as long as necessary, as they seek to recover from this unfathomable event.
“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.”
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
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