Three men died in a deliberately lit fire at a boarding house in Sydney's inner west early on Tuesday, police have alleged. Richard Hotoran, 45, a flatmate of the victims, has been charged with three counts of murder and one count of destroying property by fire.
The fire broke out around 1am at Vajda House on Probert Street in Newtown, a 12-room boarding house described by a former resident as 'squalid' with cramped rooms. Police believe accelerant was used, and a five-litre jerry can was found discarded under a nearby car.
An 80-year-old resident, Ronald Serich, escaped by jumping from the second floor, suffering burns to his legs and a heart attack. He remains in an induced coma. Another man is in hospital in a stable condition, while a third has been released.
Police are still searching the premises, fearing there may be more bodies. Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter said they are treating the fire as maliciously lit and a murder investigation is ongoing.
