Residents were dangling from balconies trying to escape from a fire in a Warrawong apartment complex on Sunday.
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It was the quick-thinking actions of the first fire crew on the scene that saved them.
Fire crews received multiple Triple 0 calls to the apartment block in Todd Street, Warrawong, at around 9.40am.
"Those calls stated that persons were trapped on the top floor hanging off balconies and screaming for help," said Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Chad Wallace.
When the crew from Warrawong arrived, they saw people hanging out of third-floor windows and stuck on balconies calling out to be rescued.
That crew immediately upgraded the call to high priority, which saw crews from Wollongong, Unanderra, Dapto and Shellharbour also rush to the scene.
Inspector Wallace said the residents were trapped because the fire had cut off their escape route down the stairs.
He praised the efforts of the Warrawong crew, who quickly created a safe way out for them.
"The first arriving station officer from Warrawong had to make some really critical tactical decisions," Insp Wallace said.
"He used every bit of his 25 years experience and picked the right strategy, which was to aggressively attack the fire and back his crew that they could get it out at as quickly as possible, which at the same time would try to give a means of exit for the people who were stuck on level three."
That helped make the stairwell safe for residents to flee the building and also allowed arriving fire crews to be able to climb the stairs and begin a search and rescue for any people left inside.
Four residents were brought down and treated by ambulance officers on the scene; three were cleared but one was taken to Wollongong Hospital for smoke inhalation.
"You can say it was a miracle escape because it probably was," Insp Wallace said.
"It was only because that first crew made this spot-on decision. There are 100 ways to put out a fire and they made the absolute correct tactical decision."
One third-floor apartment was totally destroyed in the blaze, but the fire also entered the roof and damaged the flat next-door. Two other units were left without power.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
