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Rachael Ward

Woman charged over death of girls in house fire

Two young girls died and a little boy was badly hurt after a house fire in Melbourne's north-west. (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)

Charges have been laid against a woman over a fatal house that killed two young girls and left a young boy badly injured.

The three children were inside a Sydenham home in Melbourne's northwest when a fire broke out late on a Sunday night in September 2024.

Smoke and flames billowed from the roof when emergency services arrived at the scene.

It took firefighters 30 minutes to rescue the two girls, aged five and one, and a three-year-old boy.

They were taken to the Royal Children's Hospital for treatment.

The girls died three days later surrounded by family.

The woman, 26, has been charged with two counts of negligent manslaughter and one of negligently causing serious injury.

She is set to face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Police say the investigation into the fire remains open.

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