A man with a lengthy criminal history, accused of leaving three children aged under five home alone and hearing their screams as fire engulfed the property, will be freed on bail.

Matthew Mcauliffe, 24, is the second person to be released on bail over the 2024 blaze, after the mother of the children, Shania Lee, was freed less than a month ago.

Two young girls, aged one and five, died in the fire and a third toddler suffered serious injuries.

Mcauliffe and Lee had left the Sydenham home, in Melbourne's northwest, minutes before a smoke alarm sounded.

Police allege they heard the children scream via security video on the woman's phone.

Mcauliffe applied for bail at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, charged with two counts of negligent manslaughter and one count of negligently cau

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