A father who allegedly stopped his family being rescued from their burning home has been charged with murdering three of his children.
The 28-year-old is due to face a bedside court hearing on Thursday after initially being left in a coma following the blaze at his home at Lalor Park, in Sydney’s west.
Three of his children, aged six, two and five months, died in the fire early on Sunday morning, while three others were hospitalised.
The man has been charged with three counts of domestic violence-related murder and five counts of attempted murder.
The attempted murder charges relate to four other children and the man’s 29-year-old partner, all of whom survived.
The man is also accused of destroying or damaging property with the intent of endangering life.
Homicide detectives allege he tried to stop people entering the burning home to rescue the children after starting the fire.
He allegedly tried to block emergency services and neighbours who tried to help going into the property while keeping the children inside.
The man is due to appear in Parramatta Local Court from his bed at Westmead Hospital.
He was held in hospital under police guard in an induced coma after the fire, during which he suffered burns and smoke inhalation.
Investigators put the survival of the four remaining children and their mother down to the heroic efforts of neighbours and responders, some of whom suffered minor injuries.
One neighbour, Jarrod Hawkins, said he smashed down the front door and worked to rescue several children, who he could hear coughing and yelling from inside the house.
An online fundraiser started by Mr Hawkins for the surviving family members had raised more than $27,000 by Thursday morning.
