Three children have been found dead after a house fire in Port Hedland in north-west Western Australia.
The fire broke out at a home on Anderson Street in the Pilbara town on Tuesday afternoon.
It was reported at 4.45pm, and firefighters discovered the children inside the home after the blaze had been brought under control.
It is believed they were a baby and two adolescents.
Local police, including detectives, remain at the scene.
Specialist investigators from the WA Police's major crime division and forensics will travel to Port Hedland for further investigation.
Many locals are only finding out about the fatal fire this morning.
Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter said it was devastating news.
"Something that you never want to have in your community ever — it's such a loss.
"I'm hoping by the end of the day we'll find out how and why it all happened because nobody ever wants to go through this in the community, or family, at all."
House still standing
The modest single-storey house, one half of a duplex, is still standing and appears largely intact from the outside, with little sign of fire damage.
A family with three children dropped off teddy bears to the house this morning, the youngest still in pyjamas.
The parents said while they didn't know the children who perished, they probably went to the same school as their own children and dropping off the bears "seemed like the right thing to do".
With a population of around 16,000, Port Hedland is the major shipping port of the Pilbara and the biggest bulk export port in the world, where the region's iron ore riches are loaded into giant carriers and exported.
Anderson street is one of the main streets of the town, close to the port area and beach.
