A mother who lost three children in a horrific house fire, allegedly started by her partner, has returned to the scene of devastation for the first time.
Stacey Gammage, 29, was with her seven children inside their home in Lalor Park, in Sydney’s west, when her partner Dean Heasman, 28, allegedly set it on fire shortly before 1am on Sunday and barricaded the family inside.
Two children, aged two and six, were taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition but died from their injuries.
Once the firefighters extinguished the flames, they also found the body of a five-month-old girl, whose body was removed from the building during forensic investigations on Sunday afternoon.
Ms Gammage, still wearing her hospital bracelet, returned home for the first time on Tuesday afternoon.
Police closed the street for nearly two hours to allow Gammage to grieve privately.
The devastated mother received support from family and police as she read through the legions of tributes and cards placed outside her home in the wake of the tragedy.
She returned to Westmead Hospital to keep a bedside vigil for her four other surviving children, including a nine-year-old girl and her three brothers, aged four, seven and 11.
Stacey Gammage returned home for the first time on Tuesday afternoon, with the street closed for nearly two hours to allow her to grieve her loss.
Stacey Gammage, 29, was with her seven children inside their home in Lalor Park, in Sydney’s west, when her partner Dean Heasman, 28, allegedly set it alight shortly before 1am on Sunday and barricaded the family inside (pictured: the couple together)
This comes after NSW Police provided an update on the four surviving children on Tuesday, who are in a stable condition.
Meanwhile, Heasman remains in Westmeal Hospital under police custody in an induced coma. No charges have yet been brought against him.
“Investigations under Strike Force Carrbridge are continuing,” the police statement said.
Heasman allegedly threw a burning pillow at his partner, which was partly responsible for starting the fire, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Investigators are also looking into whether Heasman allegedly used an accelerant after a second explosion engulfed the home in flames moments after he threw the fully lit pillow at his partner.
Investigators are also looking into whether Heasman allegedly used an accelerant after a second explosion engulfed the home in flames moments after he threw the fully ignited pillow at his partner.
Daily Mail Australia previously spoke to Heasman’s grandmother, Neryle Heasman, 82, who said she had been estranged from him in recent years.
“I haven’t had much to do with him since his father, my son also named Dean, passed away,” she said.
“On the rare occasions I saw him, I remember him as a nice kid.”
Mrs Heasman, who is receiving palliative care at home for terminal lung cancer and has six months to live, said she had not met her great-grandchildren.
“I’ve kept in touch with his family through photos on Facebook,” he said.
But she was stunned to discover he was at the centre of the police investigation into the deadly fire.
Dying grandmother Neryle Heasman has spoken of her shock at discovering her grandson is accused of killing her three children in a horrific house fire.
“Are you sure we’re talking about the same Dean?” she asked the Daily Mail Australia, adding: “He’s an albino.”
The father of seven is known to have no significant criminal record, but in 2017 he ran into trouble with the Australian Taxation Office.
When he was just 21, he pleaded guilty to making a false statement and was convicted, but avoided jail and was instead placed on an 18-month good behaviour bond by the NSW Local Court, and was also ordered to pay $2,809 to the ATO.
On Monday, friends and community members arrived at the site, many leaving wreaths, stuffed animals and candles.
Neighbors and family friends left wreaths for the three children who died Sunday.
Among the evidence removed from the house were two water bottles containing a tea-like liquid.
The day before, detectives raided the home looking for clues about how the fire started and whether any fire accelerant had been used.
Among the evidence removed from the house were two water bottles with a tea-colored liquid inside.
Police say Heasman held the front door closed as emergency services arrived and screamed, “Let me die here” as children screamed for help inside.
Heasman is reported to have suffered burns to his skin and throat and the effects of smoke inhalation during the tragedy and is now in an induced coma as detectives wait to interview him.
Neighbours told Daily Mail Australia that the three front rooms of the house were quickly engulfed in flames, before electrical wires began sparking and shorted out the house.
Local resident Jarrod Hawkins, whose daughter was friends with one of the surviving children, was hailed a hero after rushing into the burning house and saving a nine-year-old girl and her three brothers, aged four, seven and 11.
Emergency services, including at least 20 firefighters and six fire engines, were called to Freeman Street following reports that a house was on fire.
Dean Heasman, 28, was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital in police custody.
The older boy told his rescuers: “Dad tried to kill me.”
Once Mr Hawkins emerged from the burning house with four children, they were placed across the street before another neighbour, Damien Dubois, decided to move them away from the scene.
“I had all four kids and they were cold so we picked them up and took them into the back bedroom of my house,” Dubois told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I was trying to comfort them. The two younger children weren’t saying anything, so I picked them up and got them out of the way of all that trauma.
“They didn’t need to see everything.”
Mr Dubois recalled that just a few weeks ago Heasman was taking some of the children on quad bike rides around the local neighbourhood.
Dean Heasman, 28, and Stacey Gammage, 29, are pictured together. Three of their seven children died in the fire.
