A Helensburgh home was totally destroyed by fire in the early hours of Monday morning.
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Fire and Rescue NSW Illawarra duty commander Inspector Greg Purvis said emergency services received a call just after 2am, with reports of a house fire on Bulgo Road.
He said on arrival the Helensburgh crew found the house totally engulfed in flames.
The four occupants of the home had safely evacuated after residents, which reportedly included a grandmother and three children, were alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm.
No one was injured.
More than 30 firefighters, including Fire and Rescue NSW crews, with assistance from the Rural Fire Service managed to extinguish the large fire.
The crews battled the blaze under windy conditions.
While firefighters managed to bring the fire under control and stop it from spreading to neighbouring properties, the home was completely destroyed.
One neighbour, who asked not be identified, said they were woken up by "noises, loud talking and commotion".
"I looked through my blinds, (and) I could see fire coming out of the bedroom," the neighbour said.
"I knew it would go up quickly.
"(The occupants) were in a bit of shock."
Another neighbour, Ellen Higgins, said her son Jack attempted to help extinguish the fire with a garden hose until firefighters arrived.
"It sounded like firecrackers... Dogs were all barking," she said.
"I called inside and told Jack to get up.
"It just went up. I saw flames shooting out that window on the corner."
Ms Higgins said the occupants of the home were safe and staying nearby with friends.
Another neighbour, Mark Gately said they woke up about 2.15am and saw one of the rooms on fire.
"The electrical was going off, spurting everywhere, and within a matter of like 20 minutes the whole house was on fire," he said.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and on Monday morning, the Fire Investigation Unit were looking into the cause of the blaze.
Heading into winter, Insp Purvis said the incident was a timely reminder to ensure everyone has a working smoke alarm.
Do you know more? Email cos@illawarramercury.com.au
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Brendan Crabb
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
