Worrying detail in Sydney granny flat linked to man’s death

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People should check they have working smoke alarms after a man in his 60s was killed in a house fire in Sydney’s southwest.

Neighbours reported a suspected gas leak at the granny flat on Wonga Rd in Lurnea about 10.30pm on Monday.

Fire and Rescue NSW arrived to find the man unconscious inside the smoke-filled flat. He could not be revived.

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FRNSW investigators, with the assistance of an ignitable liquid detection dog, discovered a small fire had started in the compressor of the kitchen fridge but burnt out before firefighters arrived.

The investigators said no smoke alarms had been installed inside the flat.

A house fire in Sydney’s southwest has killed a man in his 60s. Credit: 7NEWSFire and Rescue NSW said the man’s death may have been prevented if there were smoke alarms. Credit: 7NEWS

“Had the granny flat been fitted with a working smoke alarm, it is possible the tragic death of this man could have been avoided,” Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said.

“Smoke alarms provide early warning in the event of a fire and therefore increase your chances of survival.”

Police and FRNSW investigations into the cause of the fire and the man’s death are continuing.

It is unclear if the man owned or leased the granny flat.

FRNSW said it is a landlord’s legal responsibility to install at least one working smoke alarm on every level of a house.

The alarm must be less than 10 years old and be checked at least once every 12 months by a qualified person.