Fire and Rescue NSW technology helps crews extinguish large blaze in Illawarra - VIDEO - West Wollongong
Published: 12 Jan 2023 04:57pm
A high-tech drone and a new fire tanker have proved critical in helping Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews extinguish a major fire in West Wollongong.
At its peak, 50 firefighters and 14 fire trucks responded to the blaze in a large, single-level house on Highway Avenue, around 3:15pm yesterday.
Two occupants made it to safety without injury.
The fire, which was fueled by a large amount of personal items being stored inside the property, took more than three hours to contain and seven hours to extinguish.
FRNSW's Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), fitted with special infrared technology, gave crews on the ground a unique insight into the exact location, temperature and behaviour of the seat of the fire.
FRNSW's Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) pumper, based at nearby Corrimal, was also deployed to enable firefighters to use foam to suppress the fire.
The foam was able to get through crevasses in piles of debris, and douse hotspots which water hadn't been able to.
Two fire crews remained on scene overnight and today, monitoring for any re-ignitions.
The site has now been handed over to NSW Police for further investigation.
EDITORS NOTE: Additional still images are available on the FRNSW website. RPAS (drone) video footage is available for download via this web link - https://vimeo.com/788524112/b3e1036b19 [external link]
Updated: 12 Jan 2023 05:02pm
Related safety topics
It“s the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.
Having a home escape plan and a working smoke alarm increases your chances of getting out safely.
Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
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