A young child and a woman have died in a house fire in Sydney’s south west overnight.
Emergency services were called to St Johns Road in Heckenberg, 36km south west of Sydney’s CBD, at about 12.40am on Wednesday following reports of a house fire.
Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, which caused extensive damage to the home.
‘There was nothing we could do, the fire had already taken hold with flames venting out the front windows,’ Fire and Rescue NSW superintendent Adam Dewberry told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.
Inside the home, police and fire crew found the bodies of a six-year-old child and a 45-year-old woman – who have yet to be identified.
Eight people – including four children and four adults – were inside the home as the flames took hold but managed to escape.
The survivors were treated at the scene.
A three-year-old girl was rushed to Westmead Children’s Hospital, where she remains in a critical condition, while a man is fighting for his life at Concord Hospital.
A second child and another man were taken to Liverpool hospital for treatment.
Police have established a crime scene and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire.
‘This home is completely gutted, it’s absolutely been destroyed. Fire ripped through the home,’ Mr Dewberry said.
‘It’s absolutely just a shell of itself, so they’re sifting through to have a look at where and how this fire actually started.’
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
The fire just comes just a day after a man was killed in a house fire in Guildford.
Early investigations suggest the Guildford blaze was caused by an e-bike battery catching fire.
Fire and Rescue NSW urged e-bike owners owners to be ‘very cautious’ with how they charge the lithium batteries, which can overheat and catch fire if not monitored, and encouraged everyone to check their smoke alarms are in working order.