A postman on his delivery route in Adelaide’s CBD assisted in pulling a woman from a house fire. The incident occurred on St John Street, just before 11 am on Friday. The fire erupted at a house located on the corner of St John and Halifax streets.
Postman Lee Cummins recounted the events, stating that he noticed smoke emanating from the house while delivering mail in the area. He described how he and a few other individuals rushed into the house and rescued the elderly woman. Her hair was on fire, but they managed to get her out safely. They prevented her from reentering the burning house, which was engulfed by intense flames.
Cummins also assisted a neighbor in leaving the adjacent residence as smoke had started affecting that property as well. The smoke permeated the vicinity due to the windy weather conditions and thickened quickly.
Emergency services arrived promptly, and the woman, who was the sole occupant of the house, was treated for minor burns on her hands and face by ambulance crews. She was subsequently taken to the hospital. Firefighters estimate that the damage caused by the fire could be around $300,000 to $400,000. However, neighboring properties were spared from the flames.
The Metropolitan Fire Service Commander, Declan Dwyer, revealed that the house had accumulated significant household debris and rubbish, contributing to a high fuel load. This made it challenging for the firefighters to navigate the building and locate the source of the fire. Investigations into the cause of the fire are still underway.
A neighbor, Dianne Mattsson, described how she smelled smoke before her smoke alarm alerted her. She quickly exited her house, witnessing smoke billowing everywhere. Eventually, she spotted flames in the gutters. Mattsson shared that her neighbor, who was devastated by the fire, had sustained minor burns and was taken to the hospital. She mentioned that the woman’s late husband was a writer, and some historical artifacts might have been lost in the fire.