Eltham St, Blacktown: Man dies, elderly woman in critical condition after house fire

A man, who ran back into a burning family home to rescue his elderly mother, has tragically died at the scene. His mother has been taken to hospital in a critical condition.

A Blacktown man has tragically died after attempting to save his mother from the house fire which took his own life.

Reynaldo ‘Ray’ Barroga was a kind, humble man who lived for his family, his neighbours have said.

One of his closest friends, Muriel Rull, said Mr Barroga had been looking after his mum since she got sick. The two were living in the home at the time of the fire.

“He went back inside to get his mum,” Mr Rull said. “It’s an instinct.”

Mr Barroga’s partner is currently overseas taking care of her own mother, he said, and the news was given to her this morning.

Reynaldo 'Ray' Barroga (l) with his mother. Picture: Facebook

Mourners gather at the scene of the blaze.

“I’ve known Ray since 1988,” Mr Rull said. “We were more than family friends, he is like a brother to me, and his son is to my son.”

He said Mr Barroga’s mother, who remains in a critical condition at Westmead Hospital, had been told of her son’s death.

The fire ripped through the home about 5am.

A man and woman were recovered from the property.

Fire and Rescue NSW crews responded to a fire on Eltham St in Blacktown about 5am and found the house “engulfed in fire”.

Mr Barroga, aged in his 60s, and his mum were pulled from the home by firefighters and treated by paramedics. Mr Barroga died at the scene.

The fire was later extinguished by firefighters and a crime scene was subsequently established by officers attached to the Blacktown Police Area Command.

Neighbours on the street said Mr Barroga loved to garden.

The damaged home. Picture: Julian Andrews

Emergency services took seven minutes to get to the scene. Picture: Julian Andrews

One neighbour, Mina — who did not want to share his last name — talked of his humility.

“Ray was very humble, polite, and courteous,” Mina said. “He was a good man, that’s all I can say.”

Fire and Rescue NSW chief superintendent Michael Morris said firefighters arrived seven minutes after the call to triple-0 were made.

“They were confronted by a well advanced fire with persons reported inside, and a number of neighbours attempting to gain entry to the property,” he said.

“Fire crews advanced under heavy fire conditions and recovered the two people from within the property. Unfortunately the male that was in the property has died on scene.”

A fire investigation unit is currently on scene to determine the cause of the fire. Early inquiries indicate the family home did not have a working smoke alarm.