Fire Industry News for May 2025

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have extinguished a fire overnight at Cessnock, leaving two units destroyed. More than 22 firefighters and six fire trucks responded to numerous Triple Zero (000) calls to a unit fire in Dixon Street at approximately 10.45 pm. FRNSW specialist fire investigators On arrival, FRNSW crews observed two units well alight on the first and second storeys of the two-level residence, and immediately began attacking the flames. Crews managed to contain and extinguish t...

Fire extinguishers are really important safety tools that help to prevent small fires from turning into dangerous disasters. But not all the fires are the same and using the wrong extinguisher can be ineffective or even make the situation worse. In this guide, users can learn everything about different types of fire extinguishers and their uses. Understanding fire classifications Before discussing fire extinguishers, it is very important to understand the different types of fires. Fires are b...

Fire and Rescue NSW’s (FRNSW) Dee Why Fire Station now marked its 100th birthday. Several dignitaries, including the Member for Wakehurst Michael Regan MP, Mayor of Northern Beaches Council Sue Heins, and Rural Fire Service representative Peter Marshall joined Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell and members of the FRNSW leadership team to celebrate the achievement. Historic fire trucks Mark Hall received a commemorative plaque to acknowledge his family’s contr...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has recognized the International Day of People with Disability by holding a fire safety education initiative in the Hunter. Firefighters from FRNSW’s Metro North Command, including a crew from Wallsend Fire Station, took part in the initiative coordinated by ConnectAbility, this morning at Warabrook in Newcastle. The event featured interactive demonstrations, safety advice and hands-on activities, tailored to individuals of all abilities. Attendees enjoyed a fu...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have been kept busy, dealing with three separate car fires in just four hours overnight across Sydney’s west. The most challenging incident involved a hybrid vehicle on fire in Chiswick Road, Greenacre, around 11.30 pm. When crews arrived, they noticed the car's fuel tank had ruptured. Safer location for further investigation Firefighters successfully contained the burning fuel and prevented the fire's spread Firefighters successfully contained the bur...

NSW Premier Chris Minns, Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib, and Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell welcomes 286 new firefighters to the ranks of Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) at a graduation ceremony in western Sydney.   The new intake includes 61 permanent firefighters and 225 paid on-call firefighters, with graduates hailing from diverse backgrounds, including skydiving, carpentry, architecture, teaching, and defence. The graduation was held at the...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) safely evacuated 15 people after a fire broke out in a unit complex in Villawood in Sydney’s west early this morning. Firefighters were called to the property in Alcoomie Street just before 2.00 am. On arrival, crews were confronted with intense flames engulfing a second-level unit, which had spread to the roof and was venting high into the air. Aerial ladder platform truck deployed It took firefighters two hours to bring the blaze under control. An aerial la...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) responded to a large fire that severely damaged a vacant home in Arncliffe, New South Wales (NSW), late last night. Just after 10:30pm, the FRNSW Communications Centre received more than 35 Triple Zero (000) calls reporting the house in on Queen Street was engulfed in flames. Fire and Rescue NSW team dispatched Six fire trucks and over 25 firefighters were dispatched immediately to the scene Six fire trucks and over 25 firefighters were dispatched immediately to t...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has provided critical support to the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) in assessing and prioritizing repairs, following the devastating storm that struck Carinda, near Walgett, earlier this week. Specialist FRNSW HAZMAT (hazardous materials) crews deployed advanced Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS, or drone) technology to conduct a comprehensive aerial survey of the town, enabling rapid and detailed assessments of damaged properties, including nine homes and fo...

A woman has died in a house fire in Auburn in Sydney’s west. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) received numerous Triple Zero (000) calls around 6.30 pm about a house alight in Cardigan Street. Eight trucks and more than 30 firefighters arrived on scene and found the single level property fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters respond to Auburn house fire Neighbors reported a person inside the home and under extreme conditions Neighbors reported a person inside the home and under extreme cond...

A lithium-ion battery left on charge is believed to be the cause of a unit fire in Camperdown overnight. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) initially responded to an automatic fire alarm in a multi-storey unit complex on the corner of Pyrmont Bridge Road and Lyons Road around 2.40 am. The first arriving crews reported large volumes of thick black smoke coming from the building. Ten trucks and approximately 40 firefighters quickly got to work, attacking the fire on the second level of the complex. Al...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have saved a row of businesses from a fire that destroyed an abandoned café this morning at Trangie, in the state’s West. The blaze broke out in Dandaloo Street, just after 9 am. The FRNSW crew from Trangie was quickly on the scene and was joined by FRNSW’s Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations, Cheryl Steer, who was travelling through the town at the time. The crew battled to control the blaze for 90 minutes, providing water pr...

Three people have been saved from a fire that has destroyed a home at Abardare in Cessnock. The blaze broke out just after 9.00 am on Friday morning in the large single-story residence on Greta Street. More than 30 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters and 10 fire trucks responded to multiple Triple Zero (000) calls to the home on fire. Upon arrival, FRNSW crews found the house fully engulfed with fire, with large volumes of smoke issuing from the property. Containing The Fire Firefighter...

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a hidden but widespread issue in Australia, particularly in industries where loud environments are the norm. But the good news is, there are practical, innovative solutions available that can protect their hearing, both at work and at home. In this guide, they’ll explore how individuals and workplaces can turn down the volume and tackle NIHL head-on. Embrace Tech and Innovation Smart Hearing Protection: Now, hearing protection devices are smar...

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) remains one of the most common occupational hazards in Australia, silently affecting millions of individuals across various industries. This condition emerges from prolonged exposure to high noise levels, typically over 85 decibels, which is as loud as heavy city traffic. It’s a gradual, often irreversible problem that many do not notice until it’s too late. The Prevalence and Impact of NIHL The construction, mining, and manufacturing sectors are...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have quickly extinguished an e-bike fire before it could take hold and harm the occupants of a small apartment complex overnight at Waterloo in Sydney’s inner south. The battery of one of several e-bikes, stored in the ground floor stairwell of the Raglan Street unit block, overheated while being charged and went into ‘thermal runaway’, bursting into flames around 12.50 this morning. Compromised battery cell ‘Thermal runaway’ is...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have extinguished an extensive building fire early this morning at Ballina, on the state’s North Coast. Multiple Triple Zero (000) calls were received about the blaze which broke out just after 3.30 am on River Street. More than 25 firefighters and six fire trucks responded to the incident in the two-storey premises. Firefighters extinguish the blaze Firefighters quickly got to work to extinguish the blaze and protect neighboring properties Upon arriva...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews are currently battling a large fire in a metal recycling complex in Villawood. FRNSW received multiple Triple Zero (000) calls to a fire just after 12.30 pm and firefighters observed large volumes of thick black smoke en route to the incident. Large quantities of mattresses shredded for disposal are well alight, and the fire is deep within multiple areas in the facility. More than 60 firefighters are on scene, with over 16 fire trucks, including numer...

Four teams from the Central West are set to represent Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) this week at the 2024 State Firefighter Championships, at Wagga Wagga, in the state’s Riverina region. Held every two years, the State Firefighter Championships give firefighters the opportunity to hone their skills in a competitive environment, allowing them to further develop their capabilities to take back to their local communities. With events such as “rescue”, “booster valve”,...

Five teams from the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle are set to represent Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) this week at the 2024 State Firefighter Championships, at Wagga Wagga, in the state’s Riverina region. Held every two years, the State Firefighter Championships give firefighters the opportunity to hone their skills in a competitive environment, allowing them to develop their capabilities to take back to their local communities. With events such as “rescue”, &ldquo...

Twenty-six teams are set to represent Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) at the 2024 State Firefighter Championships at Wagga Wagga on Thursday. Held every two years, the State Firefighter Championships give firefighters the opportunity to showcase their capabilities in a competitive environment as well as learn new skills to take back to their local communities. This event sees the State Firefighter Championships return to its origins, with Wagga Wagga hosting the first ‘State Demos’...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have played a pioneering role in a multi-agency bus crash exercise at Lake Macquarie. Building on previous scenarios, this exercise was the largest to date involving more agencies and organizations working together to foster skill-sharing and efficiencies in a realistic environment. Firefighters and first responders The simulated bus rollover was staged at the Edgeworth depot of bus company, CDC NSW, to allow firefighters and other first responders to fine tu...

An all-female firefighting team from Culcairn and Albury North is set to represent Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) this week at the 2024 State Firefighter Championships, at Wagga Wagga, in the state’s Riverina region. Held every two years, the State Firefighter Championships give firefighters the opportunity to hone their skills in a competitive environment, allowing them to further develop their capabilities to take back to their local communities. With events such as “rescue”,...

A group of Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters from the Southern Highlands is set to compete at the 2024 State Firefighter Championships, at Wagga Wagga, in the state’s Riverina region this week. Held every two years, the State Firefighter Championships give firefighters the opportunity to hone their skills in a competitive environment, allowing them to further develop their capabilities to take back to their local communities. With events such as “rescue”, “booste...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) responded to an automatic fire alarm at a production process facility in Bomaderry on the state’s South Coast overnight. On arrival around 10.00 pm, firefighters were confronted with two collapsed silos spilling grain into the Shoalhaven River. An exclusion zone was established around the affected silos and approximately 65 workers were safely evacuated. Providing ongoing situational awareness Approximately 20 firefighters remain on scene, including FRNSW Haz...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) AUS02 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team has been successfully reclassified to provide national and international urban search and rescue assistance following three days of intensive simulations. FRNSW’s AUS02 USAR team was assessed by a team of international experts from the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), which sits under the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), passing all 172 of the strict r...

Fire protection in Sydney’s south-west has been boosted by the arrival of a state-of-the-art fire truck for the Rosemeadow Fire Station. The Scania P320 Class 3 Pumper is valued at $950,000 and will replace the station’s existing appliance that has served the community faithfully over the last 15 years. The new truck is built to Euro 5 standards to reduce emissions and keep firefighters safe. The engine’s cabin can seat up to five firefighters and allows them to exit the appli...

A fire in a kitchen restaurant has caused significant damage to a food court in Circular Quay in Sydney overnight. Sixteen fire trucks and more than 60 firefighters responded to the incident following numerous Triple Zero (000) calls about the blaze in Gateway Sydney just after 9.00 pm. Significant fire activity On arrival, crews observed significant fire activity spreading through the flue (exhaust system) in a kitchen of one of the eateries, with large volumes of black smoke issuing from th...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have begun training on one of its latest replacement vehicles, a $950,000 state-of-the-art Pumper appliance being stationed at Mascot, in Sydney’s inner south. The Scania P320 Class 3 is fitted with in-cabin Breathing Apparatus-equipped seating for five firefighters. It features a Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS), which allows the truck to significantly reduce water usage, allowing a more efficient dispersal of foam and water and reducing run-off when ex...

Three people have been transported to hospital following a chemical reaction outside the University of Sydney Sports Aquatic Centre in Darlington, New South Wales, Australia. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) arrived on scene in Codrington Street around 10.00 am after receiving reports of a person suffering from chemical burns. Acid-based chemicals One employee and two bystanders were impacted by the acid-based chemicals, which were being moved for disposal. Firefighters immediately set up an exclu...