A 90-year-old man has been rescued from the second floor of his home in Collaroy this morning.
Shortly after 6am, fire trucks and 20 firefighters responded to emergency calls for a house fire in Duncan Crescent, Collaroy Plateau.
“Firefighters rescued a person from a second-floor window trapped by flames and smoke from the level below,” a spokesperson for Fire and Rescue NSW said.
“They were handed over to the care of paramedics.”
Neighbours described the gentleman to be very active.
Unofficial reports suggest the fire started in the kitchen. Nearby residents reported smelling an electric fire smell.
The gentleman who lives alone woke up to the smell of smoke. When he opened his bedroom door, smoke overwhelmed him, forcing him to retreat.
He used his light on his phone to alert firefighters to his whereabouts, and after being pulled out through the window and onto the garage roof, he managed to walk down the ladder on his own. An ambulance officer on site said he was in good spirits while being assisted by the firies.
He’s been taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation, but in a stable condition.
The house sustained significant damage, but most of the fire damage was contained to the kitchen and the lower level. His son told Manly Observer the house is made of double brick with a concrete base for the second floor, which he attributed to possibly saving his father’s life, along with his physical rescue.
The son was walking up Alexander Street, Collaroy when he noticed the smoke on the hill and fire trucks rushing past him. He immediately called his dad, who told him he was stuck in his bedroom and the house was on fire. The son ran over to his father’s home and was met by firefighters rescuing his father.
Firefighters remain on the scene to ensure the fire remains extinguished.
