A devastating fire has claimed the life of a man in his 70s in a hoarder’s house in western Sydney.
The Emergency Response
Fire and Rescue NSW were called to a house on Grant St in Blacktown around 4pm on Saturday following reports of a house fire.
A Desperate Situation
When the first crew arrived, they noticed a large amount of smoke billowing from the area and escalated the incident immediately.
A Hoarder’s House: A Firefighter’s Nightmare
The house, which was known by local firefighters to be the home of a hoarder, was well alight when they entered and found the man.
A Valiant Effort to Save a Life
Firefighters, NSW Ambulance paramedics, and NSW Police officers commenced CPR on the elderly man after he was pulled from the house but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Scene of the Tragedy
A man has died after a fire at a hoarder house in Blacktown, with firefighters battling to save the man’s life.
The Response Effort
Approximately 32 firefighters responded to the emergency, with eight trucks attending the scene.
A Warning About Hoarding
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Grant Rice said the fatal incident was an important reminder about safety, highlighting the dangers of hoarding.
The Risks of Hoarding
“If you are hoarding … it does affect fire conditions and it’s not the easiest of places to search and find things,” he said, warning people about the dangers of accumulating large amounts of material.
A Difficult Search and Rescue
“So beware around premises when you are collecting a certain amount of material (because) it makes it difficult (for responders),” Superintendent Rice warned.
The Investigation Continues
NSW Fire and Rescue investigation unit and crime scene investigation units will continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the house fire and the man’s death.
A Formal Identification Pending
The man is yet to be formally identified, with investigators working to determine the cause of the fire and the events leading up to the tragedy.