Tragedy struck Greenwell Point early on Saturday morning when fire engulfed a property, destroying the top floor of a residence. Trapped inside was a man. Despite the best efforts of neighbours to get into the property, he lost his life.
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A simple thank you to one of the neighbours was posted on our Facebook page. “Thankyou Matt for trying to save my dad,” it read.
The word of thanks was directed at Matthew Gray, who was woken by the inferno and with other neighbours did his best to rescue the man. The memories of that awful morning will no doubt live with Mr Gray for years to come.
With the rest of the community, we applaud everyone who made the effort to save the life of a man who by all accounts was well liked and loved his community in return.
While we await the investigation that will try to determine the cause of the blaze, it is uncumbent on us all to try to prevent similar tragedies recurring.
As we’ve been told repeatedly, winter is the danger period for house fires. It’s cold, appliances that have sat dormant for months are dragged out and plugged in and smoke alarms, despite the calls to action from the fire brigade, too often are not working.
Wood fires are stoked up, often on the assumption the flue is clear and the fireplace has been installed correctly. Yet talk to any installer and they will happily regale you with horror stories about replacing wood boxes that were never fitted correctly and are fires waiting to happen.
Winter is often wet, too. Even if it doens’t rain, the days are short, the nights damp with dew. Something as simple as clearing the lint buildup on clothes driers can help prevent fires. Yet, for some reason, people are complacent when it comes to ensuring they have done their best to minimise the risk of fire.
Fire & Rescue NSW will tell you a fire takes just minutes to engulf a house but preventing one is well worth the investment of time.
Don’t leave pots unattended on the stove; never place clothes over heaters to dry; check all appliances are switched off; ensure all smokes alarms are in working order – in short, don’t be complacent.
We offer our condolences to the family who lost a father and husband in Greenwell Point. And we urge everyone to be extra vigilant when it comes to making their homes safe.
