Man charged with arson over fire deaths

A man has been charged over the deaths of three people following a Melbourne factory fire.

Three bodies were found shortly after firefighters extinguished the blaze in a rear room of an old Footscray ropeworks factory just after midnight on Thursday.

They are believed to be squatters who had lived in the small room for months, if not years.

Early on Friday morning police said they had charged a man, 52, with three counts of arson causing death.

The accused appeared at an out of session's court hearing and will appear at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court later on Friday.

The victims have not yet been named by police.