Goonellabah house fire deemed suspicious by firefighters

Firefighters at the scene of a suspicious house fire in Goonellabah said they could not determine the source of what caused flames and smoke.

HOUSE FIRE: Fire and Rescue crews from Goonellabah Fire Station wore breathing apparatus as they extinguished a suspicious fire at a Goonellabah property on Friday May 21, 2021. File Photo.

Firefighters who attended a house fire in Goonellabah on Friday morning said they could not determine the source of the flames and have deemed it as “suspicious.”

Fire and Rescue Goonellabah Station Officer Ian Grimwood AFSM, said crews were called to attend a house fire in Darcy Drive, Goonellabah.

Mr Grimwood said crews attending the house fire at the property used breathing apparartus.

“This was a suspicious fire which started on the rear balcony of the house,” he said.

“While the fire did not penetrate the (main part of) the house, a lot of smoke did.

“Firefighters used a direct attack to extinguish the fire.”

Mr Grimwood said some “quick thinking neighbours were already trying to extinguish the fire with garden hoses when we arrived on scene”.

“We basically completed extinguishment and checked using a thermal imaging camera for any spread of which there was none,” he said.

“”We also had to deal with a lot of asbestos but all our firefighters wore breathing apparartus.

“The source of the fire is yet to be determined and it is understood police are now investigating.”

Earlier Fire and Rescue Regional North Inspector Gary White said the firefighters did an excellent job in preventing the flames from spreading through the ceiling of the deck into the main part of the property.

“Also a quick triple-000 call allowed a quick response from the fire service,” he said.

Ambulance NSW confirmed paramedics had been alerted around 9am to attend the incident at Goonellabah.

It is understood that paramedics treated a woman in her 40s but she did not require transport to hospital.

Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.