Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) are urging residents to have clutter-free exits in their home, after a Parramatta unit was damaged by fire earlier this week.
A working smoke alarm saved three residents and their two pets from the blaze in the public housing apartment on Thomas Street, Parramatta, just after 7am on Monday, November 20.
Seven fire crews rushed to the scene as 15 people were evacuated from the unit block.
Firefighters who re-entered the apartment after extinguishing the fire were shocked to find waist-high rubbish and debris blocking access to every room.
“These residents are very fortunate their smoke alarm sounded,” FRNSW Zone Commander, Superintendent Andrew Shurety, said.
“In a pitch-black fire environment, that clutter could have proved deadly, fuelling the flames and preventing their escape.”
Firefighters are determining what started the fire.
The incident occurred in the wake of an unrelated, two-day de-clutter operation involving Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW), the NSW Land and Housing Corporation and other organisations at public housing buildings at Waterloo, in inner-Sydney.
Firefighters from Redfern and Mascot Fire Stations engaged with tenants over the two-day trial, which ended on Friday, to confirm smoke alarms were working and to ensure passageways and corridors inside the buildings were free of obstructions and disused appliances.
Removalists were also on hand, moving old refrigerators, washing machines and furniture to skip bins, brought in for the operation.
Senior Firefighter, Kate Faith, from FRNSW’s Community Engagement Unit, says clutter can make residential fires burn fiercer and block escape routes.
“If you can’t escape because there’s clutter in the way, that is a huge problem,” Faith said.
“A fire takes only four minutes on average to engulf a room so you’ve got to be able to move fast in dark and disorientating environments.
“Without clear exits, that becomes very difficult and it may create a tragedy.
“Not only does the clutter put our crews in danger, it makes it more difficult for firefighters to reach trapped residents and their pets in the event of a blaze.
“We advise the public to maintain home evacuation plans…keep emergency exits clear of obstacles and especially keep the area around any stove clear.
“Forty per cent of residential fires start in the kitchen.”
NSW Land and Housing Corporation Community Engagement Manager, Carrey Cultra, said the declutter operations also provide tenants with an improved quality of life.
“A lot of the public housing tenants have trouble getting rid of large items from their homes,” Cultra added.
“At the same time, we’re helping them learn more about fire safety and the risks to their health, associated with clutter.”
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.