The face of tragedy: Police name victims of fire at Quakers Hill nursing home

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Alma Smith

Alma Smith, 73, died in yesterday’s fire at the Quakers Hill Nursing Home Fire. Picture: Police Media
Source: Supplied


Police investigating a fatal fire at a nursing home in Sydney’s northwest have arrested a man overnight.




An in-depth report into the tragic fire at Quakers Hill nursing home that took 4 lives and left many more seriously injured. Photographs by John Grainger, Atilla Szilvasi, Damien Shaw, David Marshall and Dan Himbrichts.





Lola Bennett

Lola Bennett, 86 was a victim of the Quakers Hill Nursing Home Fire. Picture: Police Media
Source: Supplied





POLICE have released the names of three nursing home residents who died during yesterday’s fire at the Quakers Hill nursing home, after a registered nurse appeared in court charged with four counts of murder.


Alma Smith, 73, was among the three residents who died in the fire yesterday.

Lola Bennett, 86, died in Royal North Shore Hospital yesterday afternoon.

Ella Wood, 97, died at Concord Repatriation General Hospital this morning.

The two other victims are yet to be formally identified, police said.

Registered nurse Roger Dean, 35, of Quakers Hill appeared via video link before magistrate Andrew George at Parramatta Local Court this morning, after police confirmed that a fifth fire victim has died.

Dean is expected to face a fifth charge of murder, a police spokeswoman said.

Two of the victims have been named as Alma Smith and Lola Bennett, but no further details are available.

Dean said nothing during the court appearance and appeared calm.

The 35-year-old, a Quakers Hill resident who was wearing a black Nike jumper, did not apply for bail, and it was refused. He was taken back to custody and will next appear in Central Local Court on Thursday.

Police today said they couldn’t comment on the motive or give any information about the man at this stage.

However, Detective Superintendent Michael Willing said it was believed Dean had only been working at the nursing home for a short time.

The investigation is likely to take some time as the building is still structurally unsound.

Detective Superintendent Willing said the blaze was a tragedy for the community.

“Our thoughts go out to those who have lost loved ones and those with family members … currently receiving treatment in hospital.”

Read more at The Daily Telegraph.

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