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Man left dangling from his third storey balcony after 'firebug attack'

A man’s desperate leap to safety from the balcony of this third storey unit has been caught on video after a suspected firebomb attack.

Peter Brown, 59, held on for as long as he could after the Warrawong unit block went up in flames on Monday in he said he believes was a deliberately lit fire.

Fairfax Media reports Mr Brown was home alone when the fire broke out.

In the video, Mr Brown can be seen holding on to the balcony as smoke billows from the roof.

A neighbour can be heard encouraging him to jump to ground before he eventually he follows the advice and jumps for it.

A tree broke his fall but his audible groans suggest it was far from a painless experience.

Mr Brown told Fairfax he believes a firebomb planted by his door started the blaze. He said he had earlier had an argument with a neighbour who he believed was behind the fire.

“I just heard a crackling and flames come up through the door,” he said.


“I smelt petrol, then the hallway went up.”

Mr Brown told Fairfax he was forced to decide jumping was safer than staying in the burning flat.

He was taken to hospital with a head wound and an injured arm.

The man filming the scene said he tried to catch Mr Brown but arrived too late.

Warrawong Fire Station commander Jason Harvey said the fire appeared suspicious.

“We have handed over to NSW Police service who have established a crime scene and have discussed the need to have an accelerant dog attend for further investigations,” he said.

He said 15 people were evacuated after fire fighters were called at about 12.50pm on Monday.

The Illawarra Mercury reported police led a neighbour away from the Illawong Gardens public housing block as witnesses called him a “dog” who “could have killed someone”.