Kraaifontein police have arrested a 60-year-old man in connection with a deadly house fire in New Rest, Wallacedene, that claimed the lives of three people, including a child.

According to Western Cape police, the suspect faces three counts of murder and is expected to appear in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 15 August.

The blaze broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, 13 August, around 12:45 am.

Emergency services discovered the bodies of a 58-year-old woman, a 56-year-old man, and a four-year-old child inside the home, which had been completely destroyed.

Police initially opened an inquest docket as the cause of the fire was unclear.

However, detectives from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit, working with Kraaifontein SAPS, uncovered evidence indicating the fire had been deliberately set.

Investigators believe jealousy may have been the motive behind the attack. The suspect was taken into custody on Thursday following an intensive investigation.

Police have not released the names of the victims or the suspect, and the investigation is ongoing.

READ: Police probe Wallacedene fire that left a 6-year-old girl dead