Kelso tragic house fire - valliant effort by firefighters
Published: 15th September 2010
At 3.07 am this morning firefighters were called to a house fire in McMenamin Place at Kelso in the states west. Kelso firefighters were on scene in just over nine minutes and were confronted with a fiercely burning weatherboard house and reports of a young child still trapped inside. Police Officers on scene had tried to enter the house but were forced back by intense flames and heat. Two firefighters from Kelso with breathing equipment entered through a bedroom window and were unable to locate the child. A second fire crew with breathing equipment sprayed them with water to protect them from intense flames as they moved further into the now fully involved structure and located a small unconscious child at the rear of the house. They carried him outside to safety where he was treated by Ambulance crews. Unfortunately the young child died several hours later in hospital as a result of injuries sustained. The fire was finally extinguished with the help of another fire crew from Bathurst and the house was totally destroyed. A mother and six other children who were in the house at the time of the fire escaped the blaze. NSWFB Investigators, including "Winna" the Brigades sniffer dog have travelled from Sydney and together with Police will conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire. A report will be prepared for the Coroner.