Dubbo Fire Station Commander John Poulos warned residents about the dangers of fire, to ensure they have working smoke alarms and a family fire escape plan. 

“If there is a fire and you don’t think you could put it out yourself easily and safely, leave the area and try to close the door in the room behind you, leave and call triple zero,” Commander Poulos said. 

“A lot of fatalities are people that have tried to extinguish the fire themselves or gone back in.

“Never leave any open flame unattended such as candles or fire places, don’t leave cooking unattended. A large portion of fires start in the kitchen because cooking is left unattended.”

Dubbo firefighters raced to a unit fire on Monday night at a Fitzroy street address. 

“About 7pm firefighters were called to the scene and when they arrived there was smoke coming out of the unit,” Commander Poulos said. 

“The male was on the footpath with breathing difficulties, two crews got to work and extinguished the fire and did a search and rescue.

“It was quickly contained within about 10-15 minutes until it was fully extinguished.

“Both trucks and the HAZMAT van went, one truck from Delroy attended. 

Commander Poulos said the male was the sole occupant of the unit and was treated by firefighters and ambulance paramedics before being taken to Dubbo Hospital. 

Firefighters evacuated about 15 occupants of other units until it was face for them to return inside. 

Firefighters attended a Carrington Avenue kitchen at 9.48am, a Cobra street house fire at 2pm and a Cooinda Crescent house fire at 8pm on Saturday. 

The house fire at the vacant house on Cooinda Crescent was identified as hazardous because it had fibro asbestos.  

“Precautions were put in place at the time of the incident and it was taped off,” Commander Poulos said. 

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