This was published 5 years ago
Man dies after house fire near Campbelltown
By Jacob Saulwick and Sarah Muller
An elderly woman narrowly escaped a fierce house fire that killed an elderly man, after daring neighbours rushed to her aid in Sydney's south-west on Saturday morning.
Emergency services were called to the home on Lavinia Place in Ambervale, near Campbelltown, after reports it was ablaze about 12.40am.
Three people - an elderly couple and their son - were inside the house when it caught alight.
The son, aged 53, called on neighbours for help when he was unable to rescue his parents.
One neighbour reportedly sprayed a garden hose on the house in an attempt to extinguish the flames, and tried to climb the building to reach its second floor, while waiting for fire crews.
"I knew if it was my mum and dad ... I wouldn't leave them there. So I just did what anyone would do, I suppose," Roy Lucas told Nine News.
Another neighbour climed into the burning house, managing to locate an 80-year-old woman and helping her escape the blaze.
"I could see a window was half open ... I just kicked the fly screen until it snapped and just ripped it off and went in," John Upston told Nine News.
"I just kept yelling out 'is anyone there? is anyone there? And I heard a faint voice. I was calling out 'come to me'... and then it was just like a ghost showed up."
Onlooker Joanne Upston said "the fire was so fierce I thought [if Mr Upston] goes in there it's very possible he would not come out".
The woman, aged 80, was taken to Campbelltown Hospital for monitoring.
The 53-year-old man was taken to Liverpool Hospital with burns to his hands and face, and suffering from smoke inhalation.
However, the body of an 84-year-old man was found later inside the home.
The house has sustained significant structural damage.
A crime scene has been established.