A deafening blast, then a searing fire as horror unfolds on quiet street

The deafening blast sounded like a bomb shattering the quiet of night on the sleepy suburban street.

As their walls shook and rattled, neighbours frantically called emergency services and ran out of their homes and into the street.

Jayde Petalas with his son Kalais, 3 (back seat, right), and Izabel, 5.

They found flames and thick smoke filling the night sky, and a fire roaring at the back of a single-storey brick house in Fergus Court, Sydenham, in Melbourne’s north-west.

They stood outside the burning house, just after 9.30pm on Sunday, desperately yelling out to anyone who might be inside, holding their breath in the hope nobody was there. As the fire trucks poured in, their calls were met with silence.

But then, their worst fears were realised. A neighbour caught sight of a firefighter carrying an unconscious child from the blaze and laid them down next to the fence.

For almost half an hour, emergency responders performed CPR on the small child as the enormity of the tragedy began to reveal itself.

Arson and explosives squad detectives investigate the fire in Sydenham that has left three children with life-threatening injuries. Credit: Joe Armao

Firefighters rescued three children – five-year-old Izabel, her three-year-old brother, Kalais, and their 21-month-old sister – after initially believing nobody was trapped inside the burning house.

The children were found unconscious at the front of the house and were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene before being taken to hospital. All three were in critical condition on Monday evening.

Police believe the fire might have burnt for up to 30 minutes before emergency services were able to retrieve the children.

Debbie Zuccala, who lives a few doors down from the house, ran onto the street after hearing a noise that she said “felt like a bomb being dropped”.

“Just the loud bang was really incredible – like a bomb. I’ve never heard anything like it,” Zuccala said.

Police said they were investigating the circumstances of the fire, including whether anyone else – such as the children’s parents – was present in the home, at the time of, or just before, the fire. Their mother remained at their bedside in hospital on Monday evening.

Hours earlier on Monday morning, Zuccala had heard news that the young family had moved into the property only last week.

“It’s horrifying,” Zuccala said. “Nobody thought there was anyone in there. Otherwise, I reckon every single one of us would have been trying to break in to get to the kids.”

Colourful play equipment, including a tricycle, was scattered in the garden.Credit: Joe Armao

She assumed nobody lived there, or the house, which was sold to new owners earlier this year, was undergoing renovations, noting there had been a skip bin outside the house for days.

Other neighbours thought they heard fireworks or gunshots before a series of loud bangs, followed by an explosion.

“It shook our whole [house],” said one neighbour, who went outside to see orange flames shooting up.

“We couldn’t hear anything until the fire brigade came, and they got their torches and went in the back. They thought someone was actually at the back, screaming.”

Emergency crews rescued a dog from the house on Monday morning. Credit: Joe Armao

It took 30 firefighters and 10 appliances, including a rescue and aerial unit, several hours to extinguish the blaze.

Shortly before 10am, there was a tiny glimmer of light amid the devastation, as firefighters carried the family’s uninjured pet dog out of the home.

Yaser Raza, whose home office has a direct line of sight to the house, was left grief-stricken and in disbelief on Monday.

Raza, who works from home, said he had not seen anyone move into the house. The last time he recalled seeing anyone there was when the home was open for inspection, only a few weeks ago.

“I’m shocked that anybody lived in there,” he said. “I can see anyone coming in and out. I work here all day. I never noticed anyone.”

On Monday, firefighters carried a small, bright blue PAW Patrol children’s couch out of the wreckage, and there was colourful play equipment, including a tricycle, scattered in the garden.

Another neighbour recalled hearing the sound of the children playing outside the home at the weekend.

“To hear now that they’ve been taken to hospital and fighting for their lives is just heartbreaking,” she said.

Victoria Police has asked anyone with further information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.