06/02/11 - Dramatic balcony rescue & eleven in hospital
Published: 6th February 2011
Today, the NSWFB processed 880 reports of incidents across the state. Highlights include:Firefighters performed a dramatic balcony rescue in the early hours of this morning when they were called to a unit block with several cars on fire in an underground carpark. Thick smoke blocked the escape path of a number of residents and quick arriving fire crews used fire ladders to rescue a family trapped on a balcony on the third floor. A total of fifteen people had to be rescued by firefighters from the smoke filled building. Another seventeen people were able to self evacuate.
Twenty firefighters from five surrounding fire stations worked for two hours to finally extinguish three car fires under the building. A total of eleven people required transport to hospital suffering the effects of smoke inhalation. The cause of the fires is currently under investigation.
Fire crews also attended three residential fires at Banksmeadow, Toukley and Cessnock.
Today Fire Rescue crews attended 31 motor vehicle incidents including a serious incident at Cabramatta and a car collided with a brick wall in a carpark at Miranda. The vehicle dislodged several cement blocks which crashed onto a shop awning below. Fortunately no one was injured during the incident.
Firefighters also attended six incidents involving water leaks including large scale water flooding in a shopping complex at Kotara.
Firefighters attended four gas leaks today and seven incidents involving snakes in houses.