demand for review of staff checks after sydney fire
Sunday 6 July 2025
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Demand for review of staff checks after Sydney fire

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Demand for review of staff checks after Sydney fire

Sydney - AFP

The leader of Australia\'s New South Wales state ordered a review of criminal checks on nursing home staff Sunday, as a sixth elderly person died following a suspicious inferno at a Sydney residence. A 79-year-old woman died in hospital early Sunday, police said, the sixth aged resident to die after the Quakers Hill Nursing Home went up in flames early Friday in a pre-dawn fire that allegedly was deliberately lit. Dozens of the home\'s mostly infirm residents, some of whom suffered from dementia or were blind, were injured and a number remained in a serious condition, with two women clinging to life and several others gravely ill. A 35-year-old male nurse at the home, Roger Dean, was on Saturday charged with multiple counts of murder over the fire. It was described by Prime Minister Julia Gillard as a \"very dark day\" for Australians and a \"truly horrifying\" way to die. Ironically, Dean had been hailed a hero after appearing before news media outside the home as firefighters battled to contain the flames, telling reporters he \"just quickly did what I could to get everyone out\". \"The smoke is just overwhelming but, you know, we got a lot of people out, so that\'s the main thing,\" he told television news crews. NSW Premier Barry O\'Farrell on Sunday ordered a full report into criminal screening processes for nursing home staff and an audit of all the state\'s care facilities for the elderly, vowing to take lessons from the tragedy. \"I\'ve asked for a full report, not only on checks on staff but also the physical structure of nursing homes and retirement villages across the state,\" said O\'Farrell. But he insisted that while \"tragic\", the fire in western Sydney was an \"isolated episode\". Police refused to comment on multiple media reports that officers had spoken to Dean about an unrelated matter just hours before the fire erupted, or that he recently left another job at a nearby nursing home following a dispute. \"As the matter is before the courts it\'s inappropriate for the NSW Police Force to comment on speculation or any circumstances surrounding the investigation into the fire or the arrest,\" a police spokesman said. Forensic and other examinations are continuing and police said \"further charges are expected to be laid at a later date\". Dean was described by locals as a friendly but quiet man who kept to himself. \"I knew Roger quite well,\" said next-door neighbour Peter Arnold. \"It\'s a surprise that someone so close could do this.\" He lived just 500 metres (yards) from the now-gutted nursing home with another man, and had only been working there for two months, according to local media reports. Citing police sources, the Sun-Herald newspaper said Dean was believed to have ignited two separate fires using a cigarette lighter, one in an empty room and another that was occupied, just moments apart. One worker on duty when the blaze broke out said it was a deeply traumatic experience and the four staff on duty \"just went into action and rescued all the ones we could rescue\". \"We\'re just hoping that all the families understood that we did the best we could,\" she told the Sunday Telegraph. A memorial service will be held for the victims on Wednesday at Quakers Hill Anglican Church. Dean is due to appear in court on Thursday.  

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

demand for review of staff checks after sydney fire demand for review of staff checks after sydney fire

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

demand for review of staff checks after sydney fire demand for review of staff checks after sydney fire

 



GMT 10:31 2014 Tuesday ,23 December

Mirages of failure: Lebanon cannot wait

GMT 05:17 2024 Wednesday ,07 February

Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 11:14 2017 Saturday ,22 July

Smiley face found on ancient pot in Turkey

GMT 00:49 2017 Friday ,13 January

Meet Cats choreographer Gillian Lynne

GMT 09:57 2016 Tuesday ,08 November

Marks and Spencer: To shut 100 stores in overhaul

GMT 06:37 2012 Wednesday ,21 March

Toxins found in cheap jewellery

GMT 10:30 2015 Monday ,02 March

Designer to the stars dresses disabled catwalk

GMT 08:57 2017 Wednesday ,10 May

Counter terrorism strategies should be compliant

GMT 20:48 2017 Wednesday ,22 March

Sisi reiterates Egypt's support for Lebanon

GMT 06:59 2017 Sunday ,22 October

Philippines' Duterte says he will shoot criminals

GMT 19:57 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Farm-fresh from Kerala to the UAE, in just one day

GMT 09:36 2018 Wednesday ,10 January

Iran investigates death of young man in custody

GMT 08:51 2017 Tuesday ,15 August

HAAD implements next stage of healthcare reforms

GMT 20:22 2017 Monday ,27 November

Army attacks Saudi-paid mercenaries’ sites in Marib

GMT 08:56 2017 Thursday ,13 July

Reasons of price increase of services

GMT 08:13 2017 Sunday ,13 August

Abdul Hussain Abdul Redha passes away
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice