Cessnock: Teenager, 16, dead after house fire on Alkira Ave

A teenager has died after fire gutted a house in the Hunter Valley overnight. Here’s what we know.

A teenager is dead after a house fire in Cessnock. Picture: Fire Rescue NSW

A teenage boy has died following a house fire in the Hunter Valley.

At about 9.48pm on Sunday night, emergency services were alerted of a significant house fire on a property on Alkira Ave, Cessnock near the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park.

Thirty firefighters and eight trucks from Cessnock, Bellbird, Abermain, Kearsley, Mayfield West and East Maitland responded to the report.

Despite Fire and Rescue NSW’s (FRNSW) best efforts in extinguishing the flames, the house was left extensively damaged.

The house fire was located on a property in Cessnock. Picture: Google Maps

A 16-year-old male teen was inside the property at the time of the fire and was treated by paramedics. He died at the scene.

Officers from the Hunter Valley Police District attended and established a crime scene, with police stating that the “investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is ongoing”.

It’s understood that a report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown but a spokesman for FRNSW told this masthead that “crews remain on scene with police”.

“FRNSW urges people to have working smoke alarms and to test those alarms regularly,” they said.

More to come.