Teenager dies in Cabramatta West house fire

A 19-year-old man perished in a house fire in Sydney’s west early today. Witnesses to a fatal house fire in Cabramatta West say they heard a man “screaming really loudly” minutes before his death.

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Witnesses to a fatal house fire in western Sydney say they heard “one man screaming really loudly” minutes before his death.

Emergency services were unable to revive the 19-year-old man after the blaze on Utzon Rd Cabramatta West about 6am today.

The public housing single-storey home remains relatively intact.

“It was just one man screaming really loudly,” witness and neighbour Cassandra Aiono told The Sunday Telegraph.

“It makes me really sad that someone passed away, I thought it was just a fire.

“I didn’t know them but, in general, there were a lot of people coming in and out of that house.”

Emergency services were unable to revive the 19-year-old man. Picture: James Gourley

Police this afternoon formally identified the dead man and were in the process of contacting family members.

Numerous families approached the home this morning in the mistaken belief the victim was their relative.

The man was found in the loungeroom and dragged outside but was unable to be revived.

NSW Fire and Rescue and NSW Police continued their investigations at the scene throughout the day.

Police officers outside the Utzon Rd house today. Picture: James Gourley

Danni-Maree Giles said the house has become overrun by squatters. Picture: James Gourley

Danni-Maree Giles said her 45-year-old mother left the home in recent months after it was overrun by squatters.

“There were five or six people coming and going and we could not get rid of them so we just had to get my mother out,” Ms Giles, 23, said.

“The window at the back is broken so they will just come in the back. There are a few houses around here where they do that.

“They are all homeless and mum felt sorry for them — but they took over the house.”

Ms Giles said the victim had a Cambodian appearance.

‘It’s heartbreaking, the kids are so sad’ … local resident Rose Mokhter. Picture: James Gourley

Police outside the house where the man died. Picture: James Gourley

A fire investigator leaves the house today. Picture: James Gourley

Other neighbours said the man was often out the front smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee.

“He’s so friendly and kind and would always say hi to all the neighbours,” Utzon Rd resident Rose Mokhter said.

“It’s heartbreaking and the kids are so sad.”

Police believe the fire started in the centre of the home.

Detective Inspector Richie Sim, from Fairfield Police, said “we do not believe it is suspicious but we are treating it as suspicious until we can exclude that as a possibility”.

“This is also a timely reminder for everyone to check their smoke detectors,” Insp Sim said.

“Whether or not the smoke detector was working at the time of the fire is the subject of an ongoing investigation.”

Originally published as Teenager dies in Cabramatta West house fire