Woman and girl, 6, killed in house fire in Heckenberg in Sydney’s southwest

A six-year-old girl and a woman have died and another two people are fighting for life after Sydney’s second fatal house fire in two days.

A six-year-old girl and a woman who died in a horror house fire in Sydney’s southwest overnight have been identified.

The bodies of Veronica Carmady, 46, and her six-year-old daughter Aurora were found inside the extensively damaged home on St Johns Rd, Heckenberg.

Veronica Carmady has been identified as the woman who died in a tragic house fire in Heckenberg on Wednesday morning. Picture: Facebook.

Emergency services were called to the blaze just after 12.30am on Wednesday, arriving in minutes to find the home already engulfed in flames.

Another eight people – four children and four adults – were inside the home at the time and managed to escape the fire.

A girl remains in a critical condition at Westmead Children’s Hospital and man is also in a critical condition at Concord Hospital.

A second child and a second man were taken to Liverpool Hospital.

Firefighters responded in about five minutes to a house fire in Heckenberg. Four trucks with 16 firefighters attended the scene. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Firefighters arrived to a “very well advanced fire”, Superintendent Adam Dewberry said. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Fire and Rescue NSW Assistant Commissioner Michael Morris said the fire was “very well-advanced”.

“[Firefighters] were dealing with collapsing roof tiles as part of their attack and heavy fire and smoke conditions,” Mr Morris said.

“A number of occupants who had self-evacuated [had] various degrees of burns and smoke inhalation.”

Upon arrival, emergency services treated the eight people who had evacuated the home. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

“When [firefighters] got there, there was heavy fire activity with flames coming out of the windows of the house,” FRNSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said.

Rescue teams attempted to access the property through a window at the rear which also had smoking coming through it.

A girl was taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital and is in a critical condition. Picture:NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

The cause of the fire has not been determined, with police and fire investigators expected to remain at the scene through Wednesday.

Superintendent Dewberry said there was no information as yet on whether the house had working smoke alarms.

“Make sure you have working smoke alarms in your home,” he said.

“The law says on every level of your home – make sure they are less than 10 years old and checked regularly.”

Superintendent Adam Dewberry has urged people to check the smoke alarms in their homes. Picture: Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

The circumstances surrounding the fire are being investigated by Liverpool City Police Area Command, who have established a crime scene.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

This is the second fatal house fire Sydney has seen in two days.

Pakistani national Haider Ali, 21, was killed in a house fire in Rowley Rd, Guildford on Tuesday morning which was believed to have been sparked by his electric bike’s battery catching alight inside his bedroom. Picture: Supplied

Haidar Ali was killed in a blaze that was sparked by his bike’s electric battery catching fire in his bedroom at a home on Rowley Rd, Guildford.

The 21-year-old died at the scene.

Another five people managed to escape the flames and were treated for smoke inhalation.

Mr Ali was a Pakistani national who moved to Australia 18 months ago and worked as a food delivery driver.

FRNSW found that an incompatible charger was powering the bike at the time, likely causing it to overheat and catch fire.

Originally published as Woman and girl, 6, killed in house fire in Heckenberg in Sydney’s southwest