Orchardleigh St, Yennora: Woman taken to Fairfield Hospital after house fire burns Luis Blanco’s belongings

A southwest Sydney resident has described how he escaped from a “huge” house fire, which burned all his belongings and damaged the home he had only just moved into.

A man has described how he escaped from a “huge” house fire, which burned all his belongings and damaged the southwest Sydney home he had only just moved into.

Luis Blanco told this masthead he was painting when the blaze broke out at the home on Orchardleigh St, in Yennora, about 5.10pm on Monday.

“I was doing a drawing at the back of the house and the lady (who also lives here) was asking me for some money to get the bus,” Mr Blanco said.

“I told her ‘wait here and I’ll get it for you’.

“Then, when I opened the door, all I could see was fire.”

“I could feel the heat on my face.”

Luis Blanco and his dog, Cleopatra, following the house fire. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

Mr Blanco said he and the woman managed escape the blaze through the back of the house, as did his one-year-old dog, Cleopatra.

“Usually, Cleopatra, she likes to stay inside the house, but this time she was in the back with me,” he said.

Mr Blanco said his all of his belongings, including a number of his paintings, had burned in the fire.

“The lady wanted to go back inside for her stuff, but I told her it’s not worth risking our lives,” he said.

A man who happened to be walking past and witnessed the fire said the blaze had been “huge”, consuming the house.

“I tried to help by getting some water,” the man said.

The damaged house on Orchardleigh St, opposite Yennora Station. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

“But it was already too late.”

The man said three young men were seen running away from the fire shortly after the house was seen well-alight.

Officers attached to the Fairfield City Police Area Command have since established a crime scene and are continuing to interview neighbours and bystanders as police look to determine what sparked the fire, the cause of which has been described as “undetermined at this time”.

A large contingent of emergency services personnel remained at the scene just before 7pm. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

A NSW Police spokesman said a female occupant, in her 30s, had been treated at the scene by paramedics for smoke inhalation. She was later taken to Fairfield Hospital in a stable condition.

He said a male occupant of the home, aged in his 50s, not injured.

A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman indicated paramedics had also assessed a third person, who did not require hospitalisation.

Police blocked off the road following the fire, with a large contingent of emergency services personnel still at the scene just before 7pm on Monday.

Anyone with information on the incident has been urged to call police or contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.