The surviving members of a family devastated by a house fire that killed two children have been discharged from hospital, as grief-stricken loved ones returned to the charred home to mourn.
Two children, Myla and River, aged about 10 and four, died in the blaze, while their father and four siblings escaped the inferno at about 2am on Monday at the family's home in Bowen Mountain, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
The fire broke out on the morning the family had been due to move interstate.
The children's mother, whose six children range in age from three to 16, was travelling to their new home in Queensland when the fire started.
All five survivors were discharged from Nepean Hospital on Tuesday morning after being treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns.
At the home on Tuesday morning, among an assortment of flowers, toy racing cars and teddy bears, were handwritten notes paying tribute to little Myla and River.
A young relative arrived at the property with a family friend, visibly limping as he unlocked the front gate and walked towards the remains of the house.
Weeping, the young man could be seen picking up plants from the garden and placing them into the boot of the car.
A grieving young relative (left), visibly limping, unlocked the front gate before walking quietly towards the remains of the family home.
The young man wept as he gathered plants from the garden, then placed a bouquet at the fence with two flowers hanging in tribute to Myla and River
More than $21,000 has been raised for the family after the blaze that killed two children and forced firefighters to battle the inferno for hours
He placed a bouquet in front of the gate, dangling two flowers from the fence.
He stood silent and sombre in front of it for a minute of reflection and commemoration.
The deadly fire, which caused the roof to collapse, has triggered an outpouring of support from the tight-knit, family-friendly community of fewer than 2,000 people.
A fundraiser to support the family has raised more than $21,000 since it was set up on Monday.
'We want to grieve in peace. We are not making a statement right now. But we are grateful for the support and the Go Fund Me.'
Verena, who lives across the mountain, said the news was devastating for the community.
'I live the other side of the mountain, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of helicopters then my friend from Castle Hill told me what happened. My kids grew up playing along here, absolutely devastating. The poor family'
Neighbours tried to help with initial efforts to fight the fire but couldn't get inside the property due to the intensity of the blaze, authorities said.
Flowers, teddy bears and toy cars were left outside the Bowen Mountain home where siblings Myla and River died in a devastating house fire
Residents of the close-knit Bowen Mountain community have rallied around the grieving family, raising thousands of dollars and leaving tributes at the fire-ravaged home.
The fire is not being treated as suspicious.
When firefighters arrived, the blaze had burned through much of the home's roof cavity and caused structural damage, NSW Rural Fire Service Superintendent Jonathon Hill said.
About 60 firefighters were needed to bring the fire under control at about 3.30am, but many were forced to withdraw before the roof caved in.
Hawkesbury Headquarters Rural Fire Brigade said their district 'stood together with professionalism, strength, and care' and commended those involved for working under such challenging circumstances.
Local federal MP Susan Templeman thanked firefighters and paid tribute to the family.
'News of two deaths and others taken to hospital after a house fire at Bowen Mountain is deeply distressing,' she wrote in a post on social media.
'Sincere condolences to the family and local residents in this close-knit Bowen Mountain community.'
Hawkesbury councillor Mary Lyons-Buckett said she was struggling to comprehend the loss from such a 'deeply tragic house fire'.
A dad and four of his children managed to escape the flames but tragically two of the children died
'Tragedies like this impact us all in different ways,' she said in a post on social media.
'As a community, we are at our strongest when we come together to support one another.'
Fellow councillor Mike Creed said the community would 'wrap around those affected in the days ahead'.