Child killed in house fire in south-west Melbourne home

A devastating house fire in Werribee, a suburb in Melbourne's southwest, has claimed the life of a child and left a man with serious injuries. Emergency services were alerted to the blaze on Newbury Street shortly after midnight on Monday. Fire crews arrived quickly to find the single-storey brick home fully engulfed in flames.

Fire Rescue Victoria reported that approximately 40 firefighters worked for about an hour to bring the fire under control. After extinguishing the blaze, crews discovered a child's body inside the residence. A male resident was transported to the hospital with severe injuries.

Victoria police stated that the circumstances surrounding the fire are under investigation. However, at this stage, the incident is not being treated as suspicious. An arson chemist is expected to attend the scene to assist with the investigation.

According to ABC reports, firefighters at the scene were informed that children were trapped inside the burning house, though some managed to escape. Peer support and counseling services have been made available to the first responders who attended the incident.