Port Hedland house fire: Person in custody as police investigate death of three children

Mother is ARRESTED following tragic house fire that killed three children – including a five-month-old baby

  • A house fire in the north of WA has tragically claimed the lives of three children 
  • Their mother is assisting police with investigation, Mark McGowan revealed 
  • Fire crews were called to Anderson Street, Port Hedland late Tuesday afternoon 

The mother of three children who died in a horror house fire has been taken into custody and is assisting police as investigations continue into what sparked the blaze.

Fire crews rushed to Anderson Street in Port Hedland, 1,500km north of Perth, about 4.45pm on Tuesday when witnesses reported a home was up in flames.

After fighting to get the inferno under control for 30 minutes, first responders found the bodies of three children in the wreckage. 

The youngest was just five months old, while the two older children are reportedly a boy aged seven and a 10-year-old girl.

Earlier on Wednesday, Premier Mark McGowan revealed a person has been taken into custody and is assisting police with inquiries. 

‘There’s currently a criminal investigation underway as to how the fire started and someone is in custody,’ Mr McGowan said. 

Police tape cordoned off the street in Port Hedland after the tragic house fire on Tuesday afternoon (pictured) 

Acting Deputy Commissioner Allan Adams was emotional as he held a press conference on Wednesday to provide an update on the investigation.

He said there are ‘many questions as to the events leading up to this incident’ that he is not yet comfortable to speak further on. 

‘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 children’s mother is seeking medical treatment as a result of the fire. 

Mr Adams said each of the children’s fathers have been notified of the tragedy.

Port Hedland mayor Peter Carter said his tight knit community is grieving the loss but will ‘rally’ to support the family.

‘It’s early days yet, we don’t know exactly how or why this thing has happened, police are still doing their investigation,’ he said.

‘My condolences go to the family and the community. Hedland is a beautiful community and they will rally behind the people who need it at this time.

‘This is just unprecedented, I’m lost for words I really am, this just doesn’t happen. It’s gut-wrenching.’

The street was teeming with police and paramedics and police tape cordoned off the area hundreds of metres away from the scene by the early evening.

Regional energy provider Horizon was also called to the scene and police are investigating the cause of the fire. 

‘Local police, including detectives, remain at the scene tonight and specialist investigators from the Major Crime Division and Forensics will travel to Port Hedland to continue investigations,’ police said.

The remote town of 14,300 people is located on the northern WA coast about 1,500km north of Perth (file image)

The remote town of 14,300 people is located on the northern WA coast about 1,500km north of Perth (file image) 



***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk