Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) teams facilitated the evacuation of approximately 100 individuals today following a fire incident in a residential building. The fire started in a unit located on the third floor of the Courallie Avenue property around 1 pm.
Seven fire trucks responded swiftly, ensuring the building was cleared as NSW Police managed traffic, and NSW Ambulance paramedics remained on standby. During the incident, one resident received treatment for smoke inhalation, while a firefighter sustained an injury from a fall. The origin of the fire is still under investigation.
Importance of Smoke Alarms
Superintendent Adam Dewberry from FRNSW emphasized the critical need for functional smoke alarms in homes, underscoring that it is a legal requirement to have at least one working smoke alarm on every floor. He highlighted that the presence of a working smoke alarm can halve the risk of fatalities due to home fires.
Despite this, FRNSW reports that 50 percent of the residential fires they attend lack a functional smoke alarm. Dewberry stated, "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."
