A man badly burnt in a house fire in Sydney’s northwest ran out onto the street engulfed in flames, screaming out for someone to help another person caught in the blaze, a neighbour says.
A body was found by emergency services after the fire in a house on Prince Street, Oatlands, about 8.45pm yesterday.
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A man, aged in his late 20s, was taken to Westmead Hospital with serious burns, before being transferred to Royal North Shore Hospital where he is believed to be in a critical condition.
A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said residents thought the house had been empty for about a year.
"The people to the right of the property, we spoke to them, and they heard ... what they thought was an explosion," he said.
Fatal fire ... one person is dead after a blaze in Oatlands. Photo: Nick Moir
"When they went outside they saw a chap and his clothes were on fire and he was running across the road."
The neighbour said his son heard a noise before they realised the house was on fire.
"The chap was apparently screaming, so that’s when we realised something was happening."
A fire engine sits outside the house in Prince Street. Photo: Nick Moir
Many other neighbours then went out onto the street and spoke to the injured man, while the fire engulfed the house very quickly, he said.
The man was calling out for a man named Paul, who he said was still in the house.
"He actually said to us there was someone in the house," the neighbour said
"He was very upset and he was very badly burnt.
"By the time we saw him, he only had underwear on - or remnants of underwear.
"The police came and they doused him in water for quite a long time and the ambulance came and took him away."
Residents in the street believed the men were squatters.
"That’s what we guessed," the neighbour said.
"As far as we know, the house was empty but it’s difficult to know."
Police said they are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading up to the fire and whether it was suspicious.
A police spokeswoman said officers had seized a car in the street, based on number plate checks.
She said the body found after the fire has not yet been identified.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/squatter-paul-dead-as-fire-engulfs-sydney-house-201...
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