A young boy has died in a house fire just three days before Christmas.
Emergency services were called to the Carnoustie Gardens home in the Mandurah suburb of Meadow Springs, south of Perth, about 1.50pm on Sunday.
The brick-and-tile home was fully alight by the time emergency responders arrived on scene.
Firefighters raced into the burning home and dragged out an unresponsive young boy shortly before the house collapsed.
The four-year-old was rushed to Peel Health Campus where he sadly died, despite the best efforts to revive him.
A teenage boy and a girl aged under-10 who escaped from the burning home, managed to avoid serious injury but were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation.
An investigation into the fatal blaze is underway. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
The blaze took 40 minutes for firefighters to get under control as temperatures soared to 40C.
The home was completely gutted in the blaze.
‘The whole roof has collapsed down and every room has been involved by fire,’ Department of Fire and Emergency Services district officer Andrew Seuren told reporters.
‘The house fire was too intense for even the public to get close to when (firefighters) arrived.’
The fire has rocked the close-knit community.
‘(It’s) so close to Christmas and it’s not even the home, it’s just the safety, like it’s someone’s poor baby,’ neighbour Sarah Benton said.’There was just so much black smoke coming out and over, it was really thick.’
Another neighbour told The West they had tried to help catch a dog who fled from the burning home.
A third saw saw emergency responders desperately try and revive the boy.
Police are working to support the grieving family.
‘Losing anyone, especially a child, can be confronting for anyone but as police officers that’s what we do and we’re here to make sure the family are very well supported,” Detective Constable Tiarna Eades said.
While Arson Squad investigators are expected to attend the home, Mr Seuren issued a warning about children ‘playing with matches’.
‘We would just like to remind our community members to please be mindful of playing with matches and always ensure they have a working smoke alarm that will help get those occupants of the house out early when there is a fire,’ he said.
The blaze is not being treated as suspicious.