Mum to be quizzed by police after suspicious blaze at Chadstone home, husband ruled out as suspect

The mother of two young girls who almost died during a suspicious house fire this week is set to be questioned by detectives after her husband was ruled out as a suspect.

The mother of two young girls who almost died during a suspicious house fire this week is set to be quizzed by detectives after her husband was ruled out as a suspect.

The condition of the 37-year-old woman improved over the weekend and was on Saturday recovering in hospital in a serious condition.

The mother and her two young girls, aged eight and 10, were pulled unconscious from their burning home on Terrigal St in Chadstone late on Wednesday night.

A mother and her two children are fighting for their lives after the suspicious fire. Picture: 7News

Police have ruled out the woman’s husband as a suspect. Picture: 7News

Police had initially sought the whereabouts of the husband but, after speaking with him the following day, detectives ruled him out as a suspect.

Arson squad investigators will now turn their attention to the mother, who on Saturday remained at The Alfred hospital four days after the near-fatal inferno.

She is expected to be formally interviewed by the arson squad once she enters a stable condition.

Those investigators will question why a gas bottle was left inside the home at the time of what police are still treating as a suspicious blaze.

Police attend the Chadstone house where the woman and two children were rescued. Picture: David Crosling

The mother, who was rescued from the home with her young girls, is now set to be questioned by police. Picture: David Crosling

The mother is the only person investigators are looking to speak with at this stage.

“Detectives will look to speak to the female occupant from the home, the 37-year-old woman, however she remains in a serious condition in hospital and is therefore not in a position to speak with police,” a police statement read.

“Detectives are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.”

The gas cylinder exploded inside the double-storey brick home but it remains unclear whether it caused the blaze or blew up as a result.

The injured trio were found by brave firefighters huddled together on the floor of the master bedroom on the second storey.

It is understood those firefighters battled through temperatures of up to 500C.

Firefighters are believed to have battled through temperatures of up to 500C while rescuing the residents. Picture: 7News

Firefighters at the scene on Wednesday. Picture: David Crosling

Wednesday’s suspicious blaze was followed by two separate fatal fires at Langwarrin and Frankston the following night.

One person was killed as a unit went up in flames on Franklin Court in Frankston while another perished in a bungalow at the semirural property at Langwarrin nearby.

A two-storey weatherboard home in Coburg also caught fire on Saturday morning in a blaze tackled by 30 firefighters.

No one was at the Preston St home at the time but neighbours were forced to flee about 10.47am.

Another home at Altona was also incinerated just after 11am on Friday before authorities issued an urgent winter safety message.

They have urged residents and homeowners across the state to install smoke alarms in bedrooms and to exercise caution when operating heaters during the colder months.

Originally published as Mum to be quizzed by police after suspicious blaze at Chadstone home, husband ruled out as suspect