Three dead after fire tears through Point Cook townhouse

Arson chemists and the police explosives squad are treating a Point Cook blaze that claimed three lives including an infant as suspicious.

An infant and a couple have died in a tragic house fire in Melbourne’s west that is being treated as suspicious.

The blaze at the Point Cook townhouse tore through the property within minutes about 3am Wednesday.

Two people believed to be a couple were trapped upstairs, while a “recently” slept on mattress was found in the downstairs area of the Totem Way home. Police confirmed an infant, of unknown age and gender, also died.

“The trio are yet to be identified,” a police spokeswoman said. “Police are still yet to establish the exact cause of the fire, however they are treating it as suspicious.”

Three people have died in a Point Cook house fire overnight. Picture: David Crosling

Neighbours spoke of their desperate attempts to smash a window and save one of the residents, a woman, who they could see “gasping” for air at an upstairs window.

“We tried everything. We couldn’t run into the house,” Jemil, who lives next door to the burnt-out property said.

“One of the neighbours came by with an axe and just threw it through the window.

“She was looking at all of us, and we just threw an axe through the window and broke it, hoping that she would climb out and one of us would catch her.”

But tragically, when the axe did break through the glass the woman “went silent”.

“It’s kind of horrifying, gruesome and I just feel sick to the stomach knowing there was someone in that house. It’s pretty terrifying,” Jemil said.

The townhouse was destroyed in the blaze. Picture: David Crosling

Another neighbour said he has given police CCTV of the fire starting.

“The house ignited and went up in seconds,” he said.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Kennedy, of the arson and explosives squad, said it was a “traumatic” crime scene.

He said he believed the unidentified victims were a couple and revealed the fire was being treated as suspicious due to its ferocity.

“It was fully engulfed, the townhouse was raging. With accidental fires that doesn’t usually happen,” he said.

Fierce flames stopped fire crews from searching the property for occupants. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

Sgt Kennedy said the victims were found upstairs, while a mattress was found at the bottom of the home.

“There is a mattress downstairs that looks like it’s been slept in recently, but there’s no one on that mattress,” he said.

He said selfless attempts by neighbours to save the deceased were “very brave”.

“Sadly they did their best,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday Victoria Police confirmed two people had perished in the blaze.

Members from Fire Rescue Victoria spent much of the day building structural supports to allow forensic teams and investigators to safely enter the premises.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report at crimestoppersvic.com.au