A teenager who escaped a fatal house fire at Fairy Meadow has revealed how close the blaze came to wiping out multiple other family members.
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Beau Mokohar, 19, required surgery for wounds to his foot, arm and finger after narrowly escaping the blaze at his grandmother's Matthew St, Fairy Meadow house in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The blaze trapped Beau and his partner Emily in one room; his 11-year-old sister in another and his aunt, Kirstie Stewart, 33, inside a third room. They awoke after Beau's grandmother Erica Lawrence began frantically banging on their windows from outside the home about 2am, setting off a frantic fight for life.
"My first reaction was to pick my cat up, then kick through the window for me and Emily to escape," Beau said.
"Once I had gotten us out of my room I could painfully hear my little sister screaming from my grandma's room - 'help me, I'm stuck, I can't breathe, I'm gonna die'. Luckily before she had lost complete consciousness, she managed to get herself up onto a desk that was near a window. I then smashed the window with my elbow and pulled her out as quickly as possible. Me and my grandma continued to try and smash my aunty's window, but unfortunately the glass was too thick for either of us to get through."
Miss Stewart was flown to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition after firefighters pulled her free from a room that was by then shrouded in black smoke. She tragically succumbed to her injuries in hospital on Thursday night, according to police.
"Unfortunately last night, this world lost one of the kindest souls you could ever meet, my Aunty," Beau said. "Despite the ambulance doing their best efforts, I'm glad I got my sister and girlfriend out before it was too late because if it were even a minute longer I probably would have lost them too."
Mr Mokohar shared his story in a gofundme page intended to "help my family get back on their feet". In two days, the page has raised just over $1600 of its $10,000 target.
"It's such a tragic and scary time for my whole family, we have lost so many valuables ranging from all kitchen appliances to sentimental and personal belongings that can't be replaced," Beau said, adding donations would go towards items including school uniforms and furniture.
"All clothing, kitchen appliances, fridges, washing machines and all the electronics were damaged in the fire," he said.
The Mercury understands Miss Stewart's partner normally resides at the property but was not there Wednesday morning.
Residents have been left shaken by the tragedy. Firefighters returned to the street at the weekend, offering inspections of nearby homes and tuition on smoke alarms and other fire-prevention measures.
Police are now continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze.
A neighbour told the Mercury the fire moved with frightening speed.
"From the time it started to when they got out, we're talking only seven minutes," the neighbour said.
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Angela Thompson
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
