Mother in police custody after house fire kills three young children

The mother of three children aged 10, 7 and five months who perished in a house fire is in police custody.

The mother of three children killed in a horror house fire is in police custody and facing questions over the incident.

A 10 year-old girl and two boys, aged seven and five months, were found dead inside the home on Anderson St, in Port Hedland, 1500kms north of Perth, in Western Australia, on Tuesday afternoon.

WA Acting Deputy Commissioner Allan Adams said the children’s mother is being questioned over the blaze, which is believed to have been intentionally lit.

She is believed to have sustained injuries during the fire and has since received medical attention.

Mr Adams said officers were working to determine the circumstances.

Soft toys were left at the home where three children were killed in a fatal house fire in Western Australia. Picture: Supplied

“We will be looking back to see if there were any opportunities for this to have been prevented,” he said.

“(We will) deconstruct all the events leading up to the fire.”

The deputy commissioner said the fathers of the children had been notified.

WA Premier Mark McGowan described the incident as a “terrible tragedy”.

“Our thoughts go to them but also all those people affected, their family and the first responders.”

Port Hedland mayor Peter Carter said the small community was in shock after the ‘gut-wrenching’ incident.

“It’s just tragic, you don’t wish this on a family,” he told The West Australian on Wednesday morning.

“All I can say is Hedland is a beautiful community and they will get behind this family in every way they can and support them,” he said.

“This family is going to need a lot of support.”

West Australian Police Inspector Allan Adams says the incident has caused “a profound effect in the Port Hedland area.” Picture: AAP Image/Lloyd Jones

Mr Carter said everyone in the tight knit community would be feeling the loss.

“The reports are still coming in but hopefully we can find out how and why this happened because you do not want this in your community at all, or any community.

“My condolences go to the family. This is just unprecedented, I’m lost for words I really am, this just doesn’t happen.

“It’s gut-wrenching.”

Specialist investigators from the Major Crime Division and Forensics travelled to Port Hedland to continue investigations on Wednesday.

Anderson Street remains cordoned off as police investigate, with shocked locals and heartbroken neighbours dropping off soft toys and flowers near the scene.