Elderly couple die in house fire in Sydney
A raging house fire in Sydney has claimed the lives of an elderly couple despite the brave efforts of neighbours who tried to save them.
Firefighters were called to a house blaze in Penshurst at about 3.30am on Monday to find the house well alight.
Flames engulfed the large King Georges road property, which is split into three units, within minutes.
When Anthony Mastroserio woke to find thick black smoke and flames filling his flat at the front of the block, he rushed to save another elderly neighbour.
"So I had to go and bang on his door to get him out because he was asleep,” he told 7 News. “I got him out."
But with the flames spreading fast, there was nothing he could do to help the elderly couple in the rear unit.
"After not even ten minutes the roof just caved in and I knew the other two were sleeping,” he said.
He noted that the couple’s bedroom was near his lounge room, which was already engulfed in flames.
Anthony fled the property with nothing but the clothes on his back.
"The only thing I've got is a pair of pants, and a shirt and shoes,” he said.
He and the elderly man he rescued were taken to St George Hospital to be treated for shock and smoke inhalation.
The elderly couple had lived at the Penshurst property for more than 30 years.
Police said it will be days until they are formally identified and have noted their family are currently in Croatia and have yet to be notified of the tragedy.
The owner of the house returned today, and was shocked by what he saw.
"The house was perfect, everything like that, I can't believe it happened,” Louis Petrovski told 7 News.
The owner said the units were fitted with smoke alarms.
Police and forensic crews have spent the day working to determine the cause of the fire.
"The roof has caved in, there's a lot of debris and its going to take quite some time to clear out that debris and make the area safe," Fire and Rescue NSW superintendent Tom Cooper said.
Investigators have warned they may not be able to establish a cause as the damage is so severe.
However they are not treating the blaze as suspicious at this stage.
News break – December 28
