A FAMILY of five has lost everything in a house fire on Saturday morning.
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Firefighters from Fire and Rescue Dubbo and Delroy Stations attended the home in Leonard Street around 8.30am on Saturday morning.
Dubbo Fire Station commander Mick Medlin said they first responded to a call to a bedroom alight, but when they arrived found the house engulfed in flames.
Four fire trucks, a hazmat unit, approximately 20 firefighters, police, paramedics and essential energy crews attended the scene.
Mr Medlin said it took firefighters around two hours to bring the fire under control, witht eh house suffering from extensive damage from the fire, heat and smoke.
“It took firefighters some effort to bring the blaze under control and to ensure surrounding properties were not damaged,” he said.
It took firefighters some effort to bring the blaze under control and to ensure surrounding properties were not damaged.
- Dubbo Fire Station commander Mick Medlin
It is understood the fire was not being treated as suspicious, and is believed to have been caused by a portable air conditioner that was running in one of the bedrooms.
Mr Medlin said the fire offers a warning to anyone running their air conditioner during what is predicted to be a very hot week in Dubbo.
“Take care when operating any electrical appliances in hot conditions,” Mr Medlin said.
“Fires take hold very quickly due to the heat, so you need to take care wherever you are this week, whatever you are doing.”
Fire and Rescue NSW encourage people to operate any air conditions as per instructions and have them regularly tested by electricians.
The warning comes as Dubbo braces itself for a record-breaking hot streak over the next week, with temperatures predicted to rise to 45 on Thursday, and sit over 40 degrees from Tuesday through to Saturday this week.
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