Three Malayalees feared dead in Melbourne house fire

Melbourne: Three Malayalees are believed to have died after a fire tore through a Melbourne house on Friday but police said the damage was so great it would take time to confirm.Anita George, 37, hailing from Kanjirapally, and her two boys aged 5 and 10 were killed . It is learnt that the fire was caused by short circuit. Anita's husband George is employed in an IT consultancy firm in Melbourne. When the mishap happened, George was overseas on business.Detectives said three people of Indian descent were known to be living in the house on Main Rd, Clayton South, at the time of the fire.

'There's a lot of damage done to the premises but there's also a lot of damage done to the deceased as well,' said Detective Sergeant Jeff Maher.
'Sometimes you just cannot tell how many are deceased. 'We're keeping our minds open on what might have happened,' he added.

Neighbours gather at the scene of the tragic house fire. Picture: Trevor Pinder

Neighbours told reporters they heard hammering, followed by a scream, as flames engulfed the home in the early hours of the morning.The bodies were found together in a back room of the home.Arson and explosives chemists and crime scene detectives were inspecting the scene.Det-Sen-Sgt Maher said police were considering the possibility of a murder-suicide.About 25 firefighters arrived at 12.50am to find the house engulfed by flames and the roof close to collapsing. It took 40 minutes to bring the fire under ontrol. Police spokesman Sen-Constable Adam West said emergency service officers found human remains after the fire was extinguished at 1.30am. Neighbour Antonio, who didn't give his last name, said he pulled up the shutters on a window and smashed it to try to get into the front bedroom before being forced back by the danger.

'I didn't have anything to break in so I pulled the roller shutter and I smashed the window and I was trying to see if anybody was inside the bedroom, but no one was there,' he said.'Normally the husband and wife are in the front bedroom.'
He said his friend, Sam, who lives across the road, used an axe to help break the shutters.
Antonio said he was friends with the woman.
'I was screaming out 'Anita, Anita' but no one would come out,' he said.St Peter's School principal Philip O'Gorman expressed his grief over the deaths.
At this time the school is supporting all the students, families and staff in coming to terms with what has happened today,' he said.
'We have lost a valued family from our community.
'We would ask for your patience and respect today while our community comes to terms with what has happened.'
Close friend Jeanette Pereira said the mother was well known to the school community and many were in shock.
She was a very good lady, a very good mother. The children were very quiet. She looked after them well,' she said.
She said the family had migrated to Australia from Canada and her husband was working in IT.