A man and woman have narrowly escaped after a fire was allegedly deliberately set at the front door of their Unanderra unit in the early hours of Wednesday morning, prompting a massive emergency response and a police investigation.
Massive Emergency Response to Blaze
Emergency services were flooded with triple-zero calls from the unit block on Farmborough Road just before 1:50am on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The response was swift and large-scale, with 10 fire trucks and at least 40 firefighters rushing to the scene alongside paramedics and police officers.
Upon arrival, crews found flames visible from the exterior of the property. Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Andrew Erlik revealed the alarming nature of the emergency call, stating the caller reported, "there's someone trying to burn down someone's door."
Residents Treated for Smoke Inhalation
A 33-year-old woman and a 39-year-old man were trapped inside the top-floor unit as the fire took hold. Both suffered from smoke inhalation, and the man also received a minor cut to his leg during the incident.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the pair at the scene before transporting them to Wollongong Hospital for further assessment and care.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by 2:10am. After extinguishing the main fire, they conducted a thorough search for remaining hotspots using thermal imaging technology.
Police Arrest and Appeal for Information
A NSW Police spokeswoman confirmed the fire caused structural damage to the unit. "Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the fire, which is believed to have started at the front door, spreading to the front rooms of the unit," she said.
A short time later, police arrested a 33-year-old man, known to the residents, in a nearby industrial area in Unanderra. He was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station for questioning but was later released pending further investigations.
Police are treating the incident as a suspected arson attack and have launched a formal investigation. They are urging anyone with information, including CCTV or dashcam footage from the Farmborough Road area around the time of the fire, to come forward.
Information can be provided to Lake Illawarra Police on 4232 5599 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
