Fire and Rescue NSW crews were called to a house fire in Belrose this morning, after a blaze tore through a home on Pembroke Place.
The fire broke out just after 10am in the detached garage of the two-storey property, before quickly escalating.
At least nine fire trucks, including a ladder platform and rescue pumper, were on the scene.
Firefighters assessed any significant structural risks and identified as least one wall that was close to collapsing.
When Manly Observer arrived at the scene, the fire had been brought under control but was still significantly burning.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, when asked if it was the result of a lithium battery the resident told our reporter they do not own an e-bike.
Everyone is okay
All occupants of the home, including the family dog Hank, were able to safely evacuate and were unharmed.
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Dee Why Station Officer, Bryce Wetherall, said: “We were the first to arrive. The boat and the garage and probably half of the house was all on fire. Top storey was on fire.
“We could see black smoke from kilometres away, and there were power lines down on the driveway, which were arcing so, we had a few little things to deal with before we could get water on the fire.
“Enroute, we were making plans to go offensive, which is internal, but on arrival, we had no chance of going in.”
“Our original worry was the house next door which was starting to take a lot of heat from this fire, so we made sure that did not catch fire first.”
Fire crews worked swiftly to prevent the blaze from spreading to neighbouring properties while managing several hazards at the scene.
The cause of the fire will be formally determined by Fire Investigation and Analysis (FIA) officers in due course, though it is believed to have originated in the garage. In an unhappy (but unrelated) coincidence, it is the same street where two classic cars caught fire almost two years ago.
During the operation, firefighters used drone technology to identify hot spots across the property.
FRNSW Team Leader Aviation, Russell Turner, said: “Drones are changing the way we do the game, and they are making things far more efficient and far more safe.
“We deploy the drone often in these types of emergencies.
“We get a view from above, and when we look from above, we can see the hazards that can’t be seen from the ground.
“In this case, an example is the solar panels.
“We were able to identify there was a risk above the firefighters, withdraw the firefighters to safety and really make sure they are looked after on the ground.”
The drones allow crews to pinpoint areas of intense heat and directly target them with water to fully extinguish the fire.
“We can direct water streams very quickly at the hot spots.
“We are then able to put the fire out quicker, get the neighbours back home, and get the community back to normal as soon as possible,” he said.
Fire and Rescue NSW said this type of technology is increasingly being used to improve safety at fires and accidents.
Firefighters say drones are a practical tool that allows hazards to be assessed without placing personnel in harm’s way.
“We have got more than 120 drones now across the network, across the state, and we are deploying them every day to incidents, whether they be small house fires like this, large factory fires, or even motor vehicle accidents.
“We are using the technology to help the community,” Turner said.
A neighbour has since posted on Belrose Community Facebook group urging people to donate essential items to the couple and created a gofundme page called “Danny, Di and Hank lost their family home”.
The page states: “After forty years living there, their entire life was destroyed in minutes. Thankfully, their dog Hank made it out, but the house, their belongings, and decades of memories are gone.
We will provide updated information here should there be an organised means for supporting those affected.
