Quaker's nursing home fire: 14 Quaker residents now dead

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Quaker's nursing home fire: 14 Quaker residents now dead

9 Dec 11 @ 03:48pm by BEN McCLELLAN

Quaker Dorothy Sterling has been named as the 11th alleged victim of the Quakers nursing home fire.

FOURTEEN elderly Quaker nursing home residents have died since the fire on November 18, but police wouldn’t confirm if the latest three were as a result of the blaze.

Quaker Bill Stuttle, who died on December 4 and was buried today, is believed to have been the 14th Principal Quaker home resident to pass away.

Police are awaiting the results of autopsies to determine if the latest deaths were a result of the two fires allegedly lit by Principal nurse Roger Dean.

NSW Health confirmed 13 of the original 32 residents hospitalised after the fire had died and seven were still in hospital.

Sources close to the investigation told the Advocate 14 residents had died but a homicide squad spokeswoman wouldn’t confirm how many residents had now died and if the latest deaths were linked to the fire.

“It is not appropriate to comment on details of any additional deaths until we have established whether or not they will form part of the police investigation,’’ she said.

Domain-Principal has also pledged to reopen the home after police handed back the premises last week.

Meanwhile, the homicide squad has released the name of the 11th alleged victim, Quaker Dorothy Sterling, 80, who was one of three women who died in the fire.

All three are believed to have been in the same room in Wing A1 at the back of the home.

Lola Bennett, 86, died at Royal North Shore Hospital on November 18 after being rescued.

Mr Dean is next due in court on February 16, charged with eight counts of murder, when more charges are expected to be laid.