Yamba retirement village resident dies after fire at home in Palm Lake Resort

Firefighters believe they have found the cause of a fatal fire which claimed a woman’s life at a northern NSW retirement village last night, despite paramedics’ desperate efforts to save her.

Palm Lake Resort, on Orion Dr, Yamba.

In a major breakthrough Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) investigators have determined a faulty electric blanket was the cause of a fatal house fire last night on the state‘s north coast.

This comes after an elderly woman managed to escape her burning home at a Yamba retirement village last night – only to perish shortly after.

About 9pm, neighbours at the retirement village in Orion Dr, carried a 73-year-old woman out of her burning, single-level home just after 9pm.

A FRNSW spokesman said the woman, who had lived in the resort since 2018, was outside her home when firefighters arrived, and they administered first aid until paramedics arrived.

Firefighters searched the home, confirming the woman had been the sole occupant.

The 73-year-old resident is yet to be formally identified.

It took about an hour to extinguish the blaze.

Only slight evidence of the blaze which ripped through the house could be seen from it’s exterior. Picture: Odessa Blain

On Wednesday morning, Palm Lake Resort, secluded behind high gates, was eerily quiet.

The only evidence of the tragedy occurring was a police officer parked outside the taped off home of the woman who died.

The officer declined to speak about the incident and only confirmed he was waiting for the coroner to arrive.

Many residents in the village said they did not know the woman and seemed to be going about life as usual – walking their dogs, shouting out to friends in neighbouring houses, greeting the groundsmen they knew.

Margaret McLeod, a long term local who lives on the street adjacent to where the fire happened, said she was one of the few residents who slept through the sounds of fire trucks last night.

“I did feel sick when I found out about the news this morning though,” Ms McLeod said.

“You come to a place like this, so you can just shut the world — and all the horrible things that happen — off.

“But I suppose tragedies can happen everywhere, they can even happen in places like this.”

An exterior photograph of the home where a 73-year-old woman died in a house fire on the evening of June 27, 2023. Picture: Odessa Blain

In a statement, the Palm Lake Group said they were “devastated to learn of the death of one of our homeowners following a house fire.”

“Emergency services attended the resort just before 9.30pm to find the home well alight and a 73-year-old occupant suffering smoke inhalation,” the statement read.

“While emergency services made every effort to resuscitate the homeowner, she has unfortunately succumbed to her injuries.”

Palm Lake Resort, on Orion Dr, Yamba. Picture: Odessa Blain

Palm Lake Resort Yamba’s acting caretaker, Robyn Haggarty, said police were on scene all night, with detectives and forensic experts back there today trying to establish a cause for the fire.

The homeowner’s small dog was rescued from the fire and taken away from the scene last night for treatment.

Ms Haggarty also commended fire officers for containing the blaze, given there are 185 homes across the entire resort.

“While (her) home appears unaffected from the front, the back of the structure has been gutted,” she said.

Palm Lake Group Managing Director Scott Elliott says a support team is on its way to Yamba to ensure neighbouring homeowners and all resort staff members have access to the support they need at this sad time.

The home where a 73-year-old woman died in a house fire on the evening of June 27, 2023.

This afternoon, experts from the FRNSW Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) examined the scene and determined that a faulty electric blanket started the blaze.

Firefighters say the home was fitted with a smoke alarm but they’re not certain it was working.

Fire investigator, Chris Hughes, has reminded the public to use extreme caution when using electric blankets this winter.

“It’s essential that you check any electric blankets for worn out or bent wiring,” he said.

“If the blanket‘s been compromised electrically, don’t take any chances.

“If there’s brown scorching on the blanket or a frayed power cord, then throw it out and replace it,” he added.

“It’s also crucial to remember that electric blankets should not remain on all night … use them to warm your bed and switch them off to reduce the fire risk.”

A report will be prepared for the coroner.