Four residents were forced to leap from windows to escape a terrifying unit fire in Newcastle's Cooks Hill suburb on Tuesday night, with five people rushed to hospital. Emergency services responded to multiple triple-zero calls just after 10:30pm reporting people trapped inside a burning building on Parkway Avenue.
Chaotic Scene as Flames Engulf Ground Floor
Fire and Rescue NSW crews arrived to find a three-storey unit block with flames visibly erupting from the ground floor. In a major response, ten fire trucks and 40 firefighters were dispatched to tackle the emergency.
Wearing breathing apparatus and armed with hose lines, firefighters immediately entered the smoke-logged building to attack the blaze and search for trapped occupants. Their efforts led to the evacuation of twelve people from the complex.
Dramatic Rescues and Escapes
Prior to the arrival of emergency crews, the situation grew increasingly desperate. Four individuals made the harrowing decision to jump from windows to escape the intense smoke and heat.
Firefighters used a ladder to successfully rescue one person from the second floor of the building. In total, five people were transported to hospital for assessment and treatment following the ordeal. The conditions of those hospitalised have not been disclosed.
Fire Contained, Unit Destroyed
Firefighters managed to contain the blaze just after 11pm and had it fully extinguished by 11:30pm. The fire was confined to a single unit, which was completely destroyed by the flames.
The remainder of the unit complex sustained smoke damage. Fire and Rescue NSW has confirmed that an investigation is now underway to determine the exact cause of the fire.
The incident has shaken the tight-knit Cooks Hill community, with emergency services praising the swift response that prevented a greater tragedy.
