Investigations by Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) have revealed a blaze which damaged a Parramatta unit was caused by the misuse of an electric stove as a makeshift heater.
Around 11:45am on Wednesday, September 21, emergency services were called to Lansdowne Street where they found smoke pouring from a second-level unit.
The fire took hold inside a bedroom of the unit. Fortunately, the residents and their neighbours made it out safely.
Firefighters extinguished the flames, containing the damage to the unit the fire had started in.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated two elderly residents for minor smoke inhalation and transported them to hospital.
FRNSW understands the occupants had been running portable electric hot plates to try to keep themselves warm. The radiant heat ignited a blanket which they had draped over a nearby table.
Superintendent Adam Dewberry says this is a timely reminder to all owners and landlords that homes must be fitted with a working smoke alarm that is less than 10 years old and test them regularly.
“I would urge the community to be mindful of what equipment they are using to try to heat their home to minimise the risk of fire,” Supt. Dewberry said.
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.