Newtown: Apartment fire on Enmore Rd shuts down road, crime scene set up

A man has been taken into police custody following a fire on Enmore Road in Newtown last night that has left him hospitalised with burns to his feet, and several residents stranded on the road. Investigations are continuing.

An apartment fire on Enmore Rd on Thursday night left one man hospitalised with minor burns and several residents in the building stranded outside, as multiple police cars and fire trucks shut down the road.

A crime scene was set up shortly after, with one police officer telling residents stranded outside the building, “Let’s just say we don’t think it was a stovetop fire.”

Two ambulances attended and the man in his 40s had to be transported to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for burns to his feet, according to a spokeswoman for NSW Ambulance.

The man taken to hospital for minor burns to his feet has been arrested by police, and is currently under police guard. Police have said he is undertaking a mental health assessment.

Emergency services attended an apartment fire on Enmore Rd, Newtown on Thursday night, which police declared a crime scene. Picture: Paul Brescia

According to NSW Police, emergency services attended the four-storey unit block at about 11.30pm, following reports of the incident.

A spokeswoman for Fire and Rescue NSW said the bedroom in the second-storey unit was “severely damaged by fire.”

NSW ambulance crews getting a stretcher ready for one person injured at the apartment fire on Enmore Rd, Newtown. Picture: Paul Brescia

Fire and Rescue NSW crews attended an apartment fire on the third floor on Enmore Rd, Newtown. Picture: Paul Brescia

Seven fire trucks reportedly attended the 63-71 Enmore Rd address, with 35 firefighters helping make the scene safe and evacuating residents.

Mark and Sarah, two residents of the building who declined to give their last names, said they were in their apartment when emergency services rushed in to tell them to evacuate immediately.

They were two of the 10 people told to evacuate, according to a spokeswoman for Fire and Rescue NSW.

Residents were advised by Fire and Rescue NSW crews to leave the building. Picture: Paul Brescia

“We had no idea what was happening. The alarm goes off all the time when there is a fire, but the one time there was one, nothing,” Mark said.

“The fire brigade just came in and said get the f*** out.”

The couple also said they were told by police that it looked as though a resident in the building could have started the fire purposely.

“I’ve got a flight tomorrow morning at 11 and I’m yet to pack,” Mark said.

Another family with a young baby was waiting outside in the cold while police ensured the smoke levels in the building were safe.

One other resident of the building was visibly stressed as firefighters and police closed off the street, returning home to a crime scene, and asking if police had evacuated his cat.

Police investigations are continuing.