Smoke alarm warning after man dies in house fire - Lurnea
Published: 03 Oct 2023 12:43pm
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is urging NSW residents to check their smoke alarms following the death of a man after a fire broke out in his granny flat at Lurnea, in Sydney's south-west, last night.
FRNSW crews were called around 10:30pm to Wonga Road, near West Street, after neighbours initially reported a gas leak.
It was later established a small blaze had occurred at the property.
The occupant, a man in his sixties, was found unconscious inside the premises and could not be revived.
NSW Police have established a crime scene at the home and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man's death.
They are being assisted by experts from FRNSW's Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) and one of our Ignitable Liquid Detection dogs.
Investigators today have determined the fire started in a fridge in the kitchen and burned out prior to the arrival of emergency services.
No smoke alarms have been located inside the flat.
In the wake of this incident, FRNSW is reminding the public that all homes are required to have smoke alarms fitted and operational.
"Had the granny flat been fitted with a working smoke alarm, it is possible the tragic death of this man could have been avoided," FRNSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry.
"Smoke alarms provide early warning in the event of a fire and therefore increase your chances of survival."
In the case of homes or buildings which are rented, it is the landlord's legal responsibility to install smoke alarms.
The minimum requirement is for one working smoking alarm to be installed on every level of the premises, be less than 10 years old, and checked at least once every 12 months by a suitably-qualified person.
At this stage, it's not yet known if the deceased man owned or was a tenant of the property.
Updated: 03 Oct 2023 01:12pm
Related safety topics
The leading cause of home fires in NSW is leaving cooking unattended.
It“s the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.
The best way to keep you and your family safe is to prevent fires from occurring and know what to do in case of a fire.
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]
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