Lake Macquarie: Fire investigators probe cause of house fire at Bonnells Bay, sparked by ablaze caravan

Despite initial reports a fierce house fire at Lake Macquarie was caused by a caravan which caught alight, fire investigators will look into other “options” as to how it was ignited.

Specialist fire investigators will probe the cause of a ferocious house blaze and look at a number of “options” despite initial reports it was sparked by a nearby caravan which caught alight before spreading out of control.

Fire and Rescue NSW crews battled the blaze at a two-storey home in Bonnells Bay, west of Lake Macquarie, just before 7pm on Thursday night.

“There’s a number of lines of enquiries we are following, there is no point speculating but we’re investigating because there was a few options that were put forward that we’re following,” Fire and Rescue NSW Acting Superintendent Matt Sigmund said.

“One of those is electrical in nature and others things. The reports are it was started in the caravan so that would be the area of origin but that will all be part of the investigation.”

More than 30 firefighters and 10 fire trucks responded to multiple triple zero calls to heavy smoke and fire coming from the Wood St property.

Blaze takes hold of a Bonnells Bay home, in Lake Macquarie, on January 30th after a nearby caravan caught alight. Around 30 firefighters fought to contain the blaze. Credit: NSW Fire and Rescue

Firefighters took most of the night the extinguish the blaze. Credit: NSW Fire and Rescue

Crews arrived to find the caravan fully engulfed in flames, with the blaze spreading to the home.

Initial reports suggested there was a person inside the property, which prompted firefighters to search inside but all had been evacuated safely.

Working through the night, firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control thanks to an aerial ladder which doused the fire from above.

“There was structural collapse in the roof and we used aerial to get the fire out as it becomes unstable,” he said.

“It was a high fuel load in there so a lot of items created a big fire and makes it more challenging because there is less room to move around and the fire tends to be burning under piles.”

Fire investigators and NSW Police were still on scene on Friday as they continue to investigate the blaze.