Three children fighting for their lives after Melbourne house fire

Police are probing whether three small children were home alone when they were critically injured following a house fire in Melbourne’s north-west overnight.

Neighbours first alerted emergency services after hearing a “loud bang” coming from the home in Sydenham about 9.30pm.

Thirty firefighters were called to a single-storey home to find it engulfed by flames.

Fire crews rescued three children – believed to be aged under five – who were treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to hospital in a serious condition.

The blaze was brought under control at 11pm. Firefighters remained at the scene for several hours to ensure the blaze was fully extinguished.

“No one else was injured in the fire with investigators working to determine if anyone else was present in the home at the time or just prior to the fire,” police said.

A crime scene has been established and an arson chemist is currently at the scene.

Police could be seen today removing multiple items from the property, including children’s toys.

A dog was also carried from the property.

Neighbours told 9News that they did not realise anybody lived at the home, which was recently sold in June.

“Nobody thought there was anyone inside,” one said.

“There were never really any people there or anything really going, it only recently sold.

“We have never heard anything like it. It was like a bomb dropped,” she said.

“The flames were bright orange and it was intense. There was an orange glow.

“My husband went outside and said it looked like it was getting worse and there were kids inside and that was really hard.”

Another neighbour described the fire as “heartbreaking”.

“I had no idea who was in there, the only thing I could recall was hearing those kids playing outside (over the weekend),” she said.

“To hear they are fighting for their lives is heartbreaking.

“It’s just awful, I work with kids and to hear that is heartbreaking. I can’t imagine what their parents are going through.”

Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.