A Wellington mother and her four children are lucky to be alive after escaping from a house fire in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
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Fire and Rescue NSW received a call to a house fire in Pierce Street at 6:05am on July 30, and on arrival found the house well involved in fire.
When firefighters arrived at 6:10am the information they received was that all occupants were outside the house, Fire and Rescue NSW station commander Mark Moroney said.
"Further investigations found that the mother and three children had evacuated through the front door of the house and one of the children was still in the bedroom and rescued out the front window by a passer-by," he said.
The young girl who was rescued through the front window received cuts from the glass and was treated on scene initially by firefighters then by Ambulance paramedics. She was taken to hospital for treatment.
Mr Moroney said at this stage they believe the fire may have originated in the living area of the house but at this point are unable to determine to the cause but police and Fire and Rescue NSW will conduct further investigations.
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On the firefighters arrival the fire was rapidly spreading through the remaining rooms of the house and there was nothing that could be done to save it.
"It was so fully involved in fire, so on arrival our efforts were concentrated to protecting the adjoining house and extinguishing the fire," Mr Moroney explained.
"From the reports we've been given there were smoke detectors installed in the house which did alert the mother to the fire and when she went into the room where the fire was, made an attempt to extinguish the fire unsuccessfully and then evacuated the children form the house."
The station commander said she received some minor burns to her hands as a result.
The father left early for work that morning and returned a received a call from his wife that the house was on fire.
Mr Moroney said sadly the family have lost their house and contents but the main thing was they are alive.
Firefighting operations finished at the scene at 9am when the house was completely extinguished.
Fire and rescue NSW have commenced their home safety visits, the Wellington station commander said which focuses ensuring smoke detectors are installed, a home escape plan is in place, there is safety around heaters and benches are clear from ignition.
"The proof is in the pudding when residents are alerted by a working smoke detector in the house, raise the alarm, get out of the house and they're safe," Mr Moroney said.
The family were all taken to hospital for observation.