Flames rip through rural home over the weekend

A home on a rural property on Cooka Hills Road was gutted by fire on the weekend, believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. Volunteer firefighters from Rural Fire Service brigades such as Parkes Headquarters, East Parkes and Cookamidgera, along with Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters were called to the building fire at 7.05pm on Saturday. On arrival crews were met with a house engulfed in flames. The residents had already exited the house by the time the emergency services arrived. Crews worked quickly to provide FRNSW firefighters with an ongoing supply of water to battle the blaze, before joining them to make direct attacks on the fire. It took firefighters about two hours to contain the blaze. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze that completely destroyed the home. RFS Mid Lachlan Valley Team district coordinator Lachlan Allan said further patrols and minor mop-up operations were conducted at midnight that night, and again on Sunday morning, prior to the arrival of some rain later that afternoon. "The suspected cause of the fire has been identified as an electrical fault, and the incident is not being treated as suspicious," he said. Mr Allan praised the fast response and multi-agency effort in bringing the fire under control and extinguishing it. "This incident was another strong example of collaboration between the NSW RFS and FRNSW, with support from the NSW Police Force and NSW Ambulance, working together to protect our communities," he said. A house fire can take hold in just three minutes, the RFS warns. It's why it is so important to be prepared, they said, from ensuring powerpoints aren’t overloaded, to regularly cleaning the lint in your dryer and making sure to never leave the stove on or a candle burning unattended. "One of the best and most important ways to be prepared is to have an adequate number of suitable smoke alarms installed throughout your home," they said. Be sure to test them regularly and change the battery at least once every 12 months, unless they are the newer 10-year batteries. For more information on smoke alarms, how to install and maintain them, and home fire safety, visit FRNSW's website at https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/.