A woman has escaped a house fire at Liverpool, in Sydney's south-west, today thanks to a working smoke alarm.
The resident was inside the weatherboard home in Vincent Avenue when the alarm sounded around 2 pm now. She was able to self-evacuate and call Triple Zero "000".
Firefighters arrived
When firefighters arrived, the fire was well-developed and spreading through the home. The occupant informed the firefighters no-one else was inside.
This allowed them to concentrate on dousing the fire. Six fire trucks and 22 firefighters extinguished the fire in around an hour. There were no reported injuries.
Investigation by FRNSW on-site commanders
An investigation by FRNSW on-site commanders suggests the cause was an electrical fault
An investigation by FRNSW on-site commanders suggests the cause was an electrical fault. Superintendent Adam Dewberry from Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) said this is a great example of how a working smoke alarm in a home provides early notification to the occupant, allowing them to get out.
Working smoke alarms not only save lives and serious injury, but also promote early notification of emergency services so damage can be reduced.
Local fire station
Smoke alarms should be less than ten years old and tested regularly. The community is encouraged to contact the local fire station to talk about fire safety in the home.
Feel free to invite the local station to the home; firefighters are more than happy to provide them with a free safety visit.
