ROGER KINGSLEY Dean seemed like a hero, telling television cameras how he rescued patients from a burning nusing home. But police believe he set the sheets alight, killing six people and watched the nusing home burn.

Mr Dean, 35, of Quakers Hill, yesterday appeared via video link before Magistrate Andrew George at Parramatta Bail Court charged with the murders of Alma Smith, Lola Bennett and two other unidentified victims, all of whom perished as a result of Friday's horrific blaze.

Mr Dean had only been working at the home for a couple of months following an alleged dispute with his previous employer.

From a holding cell at the Penrith Correctional Centre, Mr Dean, a registered nurse at Quakers Hill Nursing Home, was yesterday remanded in custody to reappear in the Central Local Court on Thursday.

The accused arsonist is expected to face further murder charges following the death of Ella Wood, 97, who died at Concord Repatriation General Hospital yesterday morning, and a 79-year-old woman who passed away at 9.30am today at Liverpool Hospital.

With several people remaining in a critical condition in intensive care units at Royal North Shore and Concord hospitals, it is feared that the death toll will rise.

Homicide Squad boss Detective Superintendent Michael Willing said alleged killer Mr Dean was arrested on Friday night. He was charged early yesterday following several hours of questioning at Quakers Hill police station.

"The inquiry is going to take some time. We have spoken to employees at the nursing home . . . we received information from the public," he said.

Detective Willing said that a detailed forensic analysis of the scene would begin once the burnt-out building on Hambledon Rd was deemed to be secure.

Police allege Mr Dean, a night-shift worker at the facility, was one of four carers on duty at the time of the fire, which engulfed the residence at 4.55am, trapping 88 elderly residents, many of whom suffered from dementia.

Not long after they were evacuated from the inferno, Mr Dean, covered in ash and soot, was hailed as a "hero" for his part in the dramatic rescue of some of the residents.

"There was a fire and I just quickly just did what I can (to) get everyone out," Mr Dean told television news crews.

As more than 100 firefighters battled to contain the blaze and emergency workers laboured through the devastation, Mr Dean allegedly remained at the scene, inside the police tape, observing the clean-up effort from a police mobile command centre across the road.

Authorities believe the inferno started in two separate rooms of the nursing home, with the blazes ignited just moments apart.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard described it as a "very, very dark day".

"To imagine frail elderly people caught up in a fire like that, at risk of being engulfed by the flames, is truly horrifying." she said. "I do want to issue words of thanks, too, to the staff of the nursing home who played a role in the rescue efforts."

Among the amazing stories of survival was the rescue of World War II veteran, Reg Green, who was sleeping in the wing next to the front desk, close to where one of the fires broke out.

He was taken to Westmead Hospital, where doctors told his family that his chances of survival were slim due to smoke inhalation.

"He was covered in soot," said his son Gary Green, a 49-year-old steel worker from Glenmore Park.

His father, who suffered from dementia and was bed-ridden, had lived at the nursing home for six years.

Mr Green had to be cut out of his clothes by emergency workers.

Sympathy for the victims

Blinking back tears, Sue Webeck spoke with The Sunday Telegraph after visiting her mother, Verna, yesterday.

"She isn't in a good condition at all today," Ms Webeck said.

"She's just lying there murmuring: 'I love you'."

"I don't know if she will make it through.

"She has been a fighter but she is really sick."

Ms Webeck said her 82-year-old mother had been bedridden for six years.

"She inhaled a lot of smoke during the fire."

Gary Barnier, chief executive of the nursing home's owner, Domain Principal Group, offered the company's condolences to families.

"We express our deepest sympathy to the families who lost a loved ones," Mr Barnier said. "Our thoughts remain with the residents still in hospital, and their families and friends.

"Our immediate focus is on ensuring the wellbeing of our residents, and providing the care and support they, and their families, need at this difficult time.

"All residents are being settled into temporary accommodation, most within the local area.

"We also thank the emergency services for their outstanding efforts.

"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support to our residents and employees."

With Caroline Marcus and Rosie Squires