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Nurse to face court over nursing home fire

A 35-year-old registered nurse charged over the Quakers Hill nursing home fire is set to appear in court charged with multiple counts of murder.

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Source: AAP


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A 35-year-old registered nurse charged over the Quakers Hill nursing home fire is set to appear in court charged with multiple counts of murder.

Roger Dean, who police said worked at the nursing home for a short time, is due to face Central Local Court in Sydney on Thursday charged with four counts of murder.

Dean is expected to face additional charges when he appears at court, a police spokesman said.

The court appearance comes a day after hundreds of mourners gathered at Quakers Hill's local Anglican church for a memorial service for the nine elderly victims.

Two fires are believed to have broken out in separate wings of the Quakers Hill nursing home in the early hours of Friday morning, police said.

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Neeltje Valkay, 90, was the latest person to die as a result of the blaze.

On Tuesday police said Doris Mercy Becke, 96, died overnight at Blacktown Hospital from complications from the fire.

On Monday, 82-year-old Ceasar Galea died at Hawkesbury Hospital, and Urbana Alipio, 79, died on Sunday in Liverpool Hospital.

Three residents, including 73-year-old Alma Smith, died at the scene of the fire, which tore through the home on Hambledon Road in Quakers Hill early on Friday morning.

On Friday afternoon Lola Bennett, 86, died at Royal North Shore Hospital, and on Saturday morning Ella Wood, 97, died at Concord Repatriation General Hospital.

Dean has been in custody since he appeared via video link at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday.

He did not apply for bail and bail was formally refused.


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