Family of four saved by FRNSW fire safety advice - Oberon
Published: 08 Sep 2022 11:58am
A smoke alarm, recently installed by Fire and Rescue NSW, has saved a family of four from a fire inside their Central Tablelands home.
Firefighters were called to the property in Hawkes Drive, Oberon, yesterday, after reports a toaster had caught alight on a kitchen benchtop.
The occupants – two adults and two children – were immediately alerted to the incident by the working smoke alarm.
They evacuated, called Triple Zero (000), and stood near their letterbox until emergency services arrived on-scene.
Firefighters quickly determined it wasn’t just the appliance which had caught fire – it was in fact sparked by a fault in electrical wiring.
The blaze was extinguished, with only minor damage caused.
The family said the smoke alarm had only been installed by FRNSW, free of charge, during a home fire safety visit a few weeks ago.
During that proactive interaction, they were also advised to create an evacuation plan, nominate a designated meeting point, and not to re-enter their home during a fire.
“These residents have taken our fire safety advice onboard and it has potentially saved their lives,” said Oberon Fire Station Commander, Captain Keven Verhoeven.
“FRNSW is working tirelessly to educate the community and empower people with the resources needed to keep themselves safe from fire, and it is pleasing to see these efforts are making a difference.”
According to NSW statistics, you are twice as likely to survive a house fire if you have a working smoke alarm.
FRNSW urges all households to check their smoke alarms regularly. If you need a new smoke alarm or battery change, or are unsure how to test your smoke alarm, you can contact your local fire station and arrange a home fire safety visit.
Updated: 30 Jan 2023 09:14pm
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Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
For flood information, warnings or requests for non-life threatening assistance, call the SES on 132 500 or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website here. [external link].
For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]
Stations nearby
51 North Street, Oberon NSW 2787
36 Rabaul Street, Lithgow (Lithgow West) NSW 2790
58 Cook Street, Lithgow NSW 2790