A faulty refrigerator has been identified as the cause of a house fire that killed two people in west Sydney. Firefighters arrived at a house in Glendenning shortly before 5 a.m. to find a house on fire.
Firefighters forced the house into flames and rescued 74-year-old Nahla Toma from her bedroom.
Two people were found dead inside the burning house. (new)
“Firefighters rescued an occupant of the burning building in a blaze,” said NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry.
“Unfortunately, the person who was rescued by firefighters could not be resurrected.”
The roof began to sink around firefighters and the fire was too fierce for teams to look for her 77-year-old husband, Bahnam Jaji, who was using a wheelchair.
His body was later found in a second bedroom.
The house was completely destroyed by fire. (9 News)
“It’s a very challenging work environment for our firefighters,” said Jeremy Fewtrell, NSW’s Deputy Commissioner of Fire and Rescue.
“Their immediate commanders told me they had never seen them work so hard and so hard as they did this morning.
“They really gave it their all, unfortunately, it’s not the result we would have liked.”
Neighbors are devastated by the couple’s family.
“It’s very sad news that I walked around a few days ago and a man was sitting in a wheelchair away from home and it’s very sad,” said neighbor Bob Davidovic.
“It’s very sad for the family,” added another neighbor, Michelle Large.
Two people died when this Glendenning house caught fire. (new)
The fire was extinguished shortly before 6 p.m.
“Officers from the Fire Investigation Unit and police forensic experts began searching the ruins of the house for the cause of the fire and looked into the refrigerator,” Fire said. and Rescue NSW in a statement.
“The engine of the refrigerator will be thoroughly examined by researchers.”