A devastated local community is coming to terms with the tragic deaths of a mother and her daughter in an overnight fire despite heroic attempts by neighbours to save those trapped in the house.
Ten people were inside a property at Heckenberg, in Sydney’s southwest, when the fire broke out shortly after midnight on Wednesday, gutting the family home.
Most had already escaped by the time firefighters arrived, but the bodies of a 46-year-old woman and her six-year-old daughter were recovered from inside.
They are yet to be formally identified.
Eight other people—including four children—escaped the blaze, although one girl and a man are fighting for their lives in hospital.
A neighbour reportedly forced entry to the burning building and helped some of those inside escape.
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Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said he could not speak highly enough about the man’s actions.
“It goes to show you the tremendous people we have in our society, people that are members of the community, that just put themselves at risk to help people in the greatest time of need, that would take tremendous courage,” he said.
“An incredible act of heroism for their neighbours, putting themselves in danger to protect people at a time of great risk.”
One neighbour helped a young girl out of the house after forcing his way in, the man’s son told Seven News.
“He had to grab a swing and smash one of the windows and help someone get inside to grab the little girl,” the son said.
Authorities were at the fire within minutes of receiving an emergency call, but the scale of the blaze meant their best efforts could not save those who perished.
Investigators were yet to determine if the house had a working smoke alarm.
Fewtrell said the blaze was a timely reminder about the need to have working smoke alarms.
“The importance of the smoke alarm has never been any greater than it is now, because of how quickly modern furnishings and modern items in people’s homes can spread a fire,” he said.
Neighbours reported hearing screaming from multiple people at the home before some escaped into the backyard.
One girl was taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital and remains in a critical condition, while a man was taken to Concord Hospital, also in a critical condition.
A second child and a second man were taken to Liverpool Hospital.
Police have established a crime scene and will prepare a report for the coroner.
The deadly blaze follows a fatal fire at Guildford, in Sydney’s west, on Tuesday.
That fire was believed to be caused by an e-bike battery, while no working smoke alarm was found in the property.
