Fatal fires in Sydney and NSW South Coast prompt renewed smoke alarm warning

Two elderly people die in separate house fires in Sydney and Greenwell Point In short: Two people have died in separate house fires in Western Sydney and on the NSW South Coast. The victims include a woman in her 70s in Villawood and an elderly man at a caravan park near Nowra. What's next? Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell says working smoke alarms are critical to surviving a house fire. Two elderly people have died in separate house fires overnight in Sydney and on the New South Wales South Coast. The blazes at Villawood in Western Sydney and Greenwell Point, east of Nowra, both started within hours of each other last night. Thirteen people have now died in structure fires across the state this winter. Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said the two deaths would be felt by firefighters across the state. "We really feel the impact of these tragedies; it's something our firefighters experience firsthand," he said. "We extend our condolences to those families, because we have a good understanding of the heartache that they're experiencing." Cooking fire starts fatal blaze At 6pm firefighters were called to a house fire at Tuncoee Road in Villawood. Crews managed to rescue a woman aged in her 50s. A second woman aged in her 70s died a short time later at Liverpool Hospital while receiving treatment for smoke inhalation. Mr Fewtrell said investigators worked through the night to determine the cause of the blaze. "We believe that fire was related to a cooking fire," he said. "Our fire investigators inspected the property and did not locate a working smoke alarm in the property. "This really underscores the importance of having a working smoke alarm." A separate blaze started inside a mobile home at a tourist park in Greenwell Point, east of Nowra, about 10pm. After extinguishing the flames, firefighters found the body of an elderly man inside. Another man was taken to hospital in a serious condition with serious burns and smoke inhalation. The operations officer for Shoalhaven Rural Fire Service, Anthony Ciccaldo, said crews faced dynamic risks at the scene, including gas bottles and neighbouring mobile homes just metres away. "Crews were quickly able to get on top of it as soon as they arrived, and knock [the fire] down to reduce any further extension to neighbouring properties," he said. Rise in fatal winter fires The deaths mark a sharp rise in fatal fires across the state this year. During winter last year, there were more than 1,000 house fires resulting in nine fatalities. This season, 13 people have died as 856 house fires have been recorded across NSW during the colder months. Mr Fewtrell said while there have been fewer fires this winter, the rise in fatalities was concerning. "Very sadly this year we're now seeing a significant increase in the number of fire deaths," he said. "The fundamental aspects of having working smoke alarms are more critical than ever." The commissioner said elderly people were often over-represented in fire fatality data, due to mobility issues that made escaping a house fire difficult. "We know that fire safety for elder residents is a really important thing," he said. "[Residents can] ring the fire station and ask for a safety visit for their parents or their grandparents or their elderly neighbours. "We'll talk to the residents about fire safety and be able to provide very customised and specific advice for their individual circumstances ... and install smoke alarms free of charge."