In a display of swift action and teamwork, Broken Hill Fire and Rescue fire fighters successfully tackled a major blaze at a home on O’Farrell Street on Saturday afternoon, containing the fire and ensuring no injuries.
The emergency call was made at 2.15pm on Saturday, with crews seeing thick plumes of smoke billowing from the house even before they got there.
Recognising the seriousness of the situation, those first responders requested additional fire trucks, with a total of three soon on scene.
When the first team arrived the rear of the house was fully engulfed in flames, with the fire already penetrating the roof cavity. Fire fighting teams from local stations took turns to confront the inferno inside the house, a taxing operation that took more than two hours to completely put the fire out.
Praise was extended to the nearby residents and neighbours whose quick thinking and prompt actions played a crucial role in the incident’s response. Their immediate evacuation and containment efforts ensured the fire was restricted to the rear section of the house and the roof space. This allowed firefighters to enter the premises safely and retrieve valuable personal belongings for the occupants.
No one was injured during the incident, which F&R say was started by an appliance in the laundry.
Station Commander, Scott Parker, commended residents, neighbours, and the general community for supporting emergency responders in their efforts to contain the fire.
“The working smoke alarm that alerted the resident to the fire at the rear of the house meant that they were able to respond quickly, making our role easier upon arrival,” said Commander Parker.
“My message to the community is to ensure that your fire alarms are working because, as demonstrated by this incident, they save lives, property, and your most treasured possessions.
“There was a lot of traffic around Memorial Oval at the time for football, and I’d like to thank them for moving out the way so we could reach the fire quickly. With three fire trucks, police, ambulance, and Essential Energy rushing to the scene, we were very grateful for the community’s help with clearing the way.”
