Gas system investigated after mother, baby badly burned in western Sydney house fire

Firefighters are investigating whether a poorly constructed gas system is to blame for an explosion in Sydney’s south west that saw a mother and her newborn baby suffer horrific burns.

Emergency crews at the scene of the Chester Hill house fire. Picture: 7News

A faulty gas system is feared to be the cause of an explosion in a kitchen of a south west Sydney home on Wednesday that resulted in a mother and her newborn suffering horrific burns.

Emergency crews were called to a house in Chester Hill about 1.45pm, after reports a mother and baby had been badly burnt in a kitchen fire.

Paramedics treated the mother, 20, and the eight-month-old baby, before rushing the mother to the Concord Hospital’s burns unit for urgent treatment.

The cause of the explosion, and the subsequent fire, is being investigated by Fire and Rescue NSW with initial inquiries possibly leading to a poorly installed gas system.

“The cause is being investigated but we’re looking at the problem with the gas in the granny flat,” FRNSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said.

Paramedics assist a baby and a woman who have suffered severe burns in Chester Hill. Picture: 7 News

“It’s not a misuse of cooking equipment. It is an accidental fire. We’re just looking at the way the utilities were constructed … how the gas system has been installed.”

The mother suffered horrific burns to her arms, legs, face and back. The baby was treated for burns to its face, hands and feet and was taken to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

The pair were assessed and taken to hospital. Picture: 7 News

NSW Ambulance Inspector Caine Sanders said rushed seven crews and a critical care doctor to the scene.

“Any incident involving fire carries a large amount of risk and it was crucial we began treatment as soon as possible,” he said.

“Thankfully when we arrived the patients were already out of the home which allowed us to quickly assess and treat them before transporting to hospital.”

“This was a particularly delicate situation because there was a young child involved.”

“This has no doubt been a traumatic incident and we send our best wishes to the family for their recovery.”

NSW Fire Brigade officers said they arrived at the Miles St house to find a large volume of smoke issuing from the rear of the two-storey home.

Police and fire investigators remain on scene trying to determine how the fire started.