A woman named Maria Charalambous heroically rescued her 82-year-old husband, Nick, as their home in Bonnyrigg Heights, a suburb in south-west Sydney, was engulfed in flames early this morning around 4:30 AM. Maria was showering when the fire ignited in their bedroom, but she quickly alerted Nick, urging him to wake up, stating, “come on, come on, wake up there is a fire.”
Tragically, while the couple managed to escape, their seven dogs were also caught in the inferno; only five survived. Unfortunately, two of their beloved pets—a five-year-old dog named Sophie and a ten-day-old puppy—lost their lives in the fire.
Authorities have determined that the fire was caused by an electric heater that had been plugged in. It was revealed that Nick had disconnected the batteries from their smoke alarm around a decade ago due to it continuously beeping, which raises significant safety concerns.
Firefighters noted that Maria’s awareness during this dangerous situation was crucial in ensuring both she and Nick got out safely. Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry commented on the incident, highlighting their fortunate escape, stating, “A really lucky escape here this morning for both those occupants.”
This incident underscores both the importance of functional smoke alarms and the quick response that can make all the difference in life-threatening situations.