Hero 10-year-old Nardos Solomon saves brother Estephanos from Werribee house fire

Home alone, two young children heard an explosion. It was the actions of the older sister that saved their lives as their house burned around them.

Gabriel, 13, Nardos, 10 and Estephanos, 9, Solomon. Nardos saved Estephanos's life when their Werribee house caught fire. Picture: Supplied.

10-year-old Nardos Solomon has been crowned a hero after saving her younger brother from a near catastrophic house fire in Werribee.

A family of five is unable to return home after a severe fire tore through their property last Thursday morning.

The two children were home alone for only minutes when they heard an explosion in the kitchen.

The family’s Werribee home has been destroyed. Picture: Supplied.

A fan in the kitchen range hood is believed to have exploded before bursting into flames.

The children ran for the front door but found it deadlocked, leaving them trapped inside the property.

Close friend of the family, Klaudia Slusarczyk said Nardos called out to passing neighbours who alerted emergency services personnel to free the children from the property.

Nardos (right) stepped up and saved younger brother Estephanos (left) when their home went up in flames. Older brother Gabriel (top) and their parents weren’t home. Picture: Supplied.

“She stepped up as an older sister and helped her brother. He was crying and was quite distressed,” she said.

“She calmly alerted the neighbours and her quick thinking meant herself and her brother were left unharmed in what could have been a devastating situation.”

It’s believed the rangehood exploded. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Slusarczyk said the flames caused extensive damage to the kitchen, laundry and roof.

“The state of the property at the moment is uninhabitable,” she said.

“The structural integrity of the house is not safe for any family to move back into.”

Lapsing on their insurance payments, due to mounting expenses, the family does not qualify for any insurance payout.

The family home was later ransacked while they lived in temporary housing. Picture: Supplied.

Parents Almaz and Mebrahtu are now having to pay rent while continuing with their mortgage repayments on their unlivable property.

The night of the fire, the family was hit with further devastation after finding out their property had been ransacked while they stayed in temporary housing.

“They went through everything and chucked it all on the floor,” Ms Slusarczyk said.

“The family does not have a lot and the thieves stole anything they could carry with them.”

A GoFundMe has been launched to support the Solomon family.