What we know about the horror blaze that killed three kids at Lalor Park

Three children are dead, four more and a woman are in hospital, and the father who allegedly tried to stop them leaving a burning house is an induced coma as police wait to charge him. Here’s what we know.

The crime scene at a Labor Park home where it is alleged a father barricaded seven children and his partner inside a burning home in Sydney’s west early around 1am on Sunday and tried to stop rescuers from coming to save them. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

— Neighbours saw flames coming from a housing commission home at Freeman Street, Lalor Park about 12.55am on Sunday. The house was quickly engulfed in the blaze. Neighbours were on the scene within two minutes, firefighters in six minutes.

— Neighbours saw flames coming from a housing commission home at Freeman Street, Lalor Park about 12.55am on Sunday. The house was quickly engulfed in the blaze. Neighbours were on the scene within two minutes, firefighters in six minutes.

— Police allege Dean Heasman, 28, tried to stop family members — his partner and seven children, aged between 10 months and 11 years, from leaving the burning home.

— They further allege Heasman lit the blaze, and tried to drag some of the young children back into the home as they escaped. Other children were eventually extracted from the house by fire fighters.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE INSIDE THE HOME?

—Three died in the blaze: a baby girl aged 10 months, and two older brothers, aged three and six.

— The baby girl was found dead inside the home on Sunday afternoon.

— The man’s partner and six children were treated at the scene and taken to hospital, but a three-year-old and six-year-old boy both found by emergency services in a critical condition died.

— The dead children have not been formally identified.

WHO HAS BEEN ARRESTED?

— Dean Heasman was arrested at the scene, taken under police guard to hospital, placed in an induced coma and treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

— He has burns to his skin and throat and is under police guard, with police ready to charge him if he survives and emerges from the coma.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

— A major homicide investigation has been launched. It will alleged Heasman’s intention was to “keep the kids inside the (burning) premises”, police say.

— Police are treating the matter as a domestic violence-related multiple homicide. They’ve interviewed the man’s partner as she and the four remaining children — a nine-year-old girl and three boys aged four, seven and 11 — remain under care at Westmead Hospital and are expected to survive.

— Police remain at the crime scene, with fire officers, sifting through what’s left of the charred home.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE FAMILY

— Dean Heasman his partner had not previously come to the attention of police, except for a recent visit when officers checked on, them only to be dismissed by the pair.

— Heasman is not adversely known to police, before the court for any other matter and there is no AVO, police say.