Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) investigators are assisting NSW Police to determine the cause of a fire that caused the evacuation of dozens of residents from an apartment building in Merrylands.
FRNSW received numerous Triple Zero (000) calls about a possible explosion in the basement of the Railway Terrace building around 4.50am this morning.
Seven FRNSW trucks rushed to the address and firefighters evacuated around 40 residents from their units.
Two cars in the basement car park were destroyed by the fire and another eight damaged.
Heavy smoke spread throughout the six-level property.
The blaze was extinguished around 7.30am.
Police have established a crime scene as Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) investigators work with forensics experts to determine the cause of the fire.
Fire crews are using extraction fans to clear the smoke from the building and Hazardous Materials technicians used gas detectors to measure the level of toxic smoke, given off by the blaze.
Residents are securing alternative accommodation while the scene is rendered safe.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.