Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have overseen the evacuation of around 100 people this afternoon during a fire in a residential unit building. The blaze broke out in a unit on the third level of the building on Courallie Avenue shortly before 1 pm.
Seven fire trucks rushed to the scene and cleared the building as NSW Police re-directed traffic, and NSW Ambulance paramedics were placed on standby. One occupant was treated for smoke inhalation, while a firefighter was treated for a fall injury. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Risk of a fatality
Superintendent Adam Dewberry from Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) said this is a timely reminder to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of the home, it is the law.
The risk of a fatality in the home is halved if there is a working smoke alarm. Yet, 50 percent of residential home fires attended by FRNSW do not have a working smoke alarm. “A fire can take hold in just three minutes, so it is vital to have working smoke alarms in your home and to test them regularly”, he said.