Firefighter Dies While Responding to House Fire at Grose Vale

In a tragic incident this morning, a 51-year-old on-call firefighter lost his life while responding to a fire at a luxury Airbnb in Grose Vale.

Emergency services were dispatched around 8 am to Grose Vale Road, Grose Vale, following reports of a house fire, located approximately 10 km west of Richmond.

The on-call firefighter, affiliated with Fire and Rescue NSW, collapsed at the scene, police said. Fire and rescue Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said the man was struck by  what appeared to be a falling beam. 

Despite immediate CPR efforts by emergency personnel, the man could not be revived and succumbed to his injuries on-site.

Hawkesbury Police Area Command officers have cordoned off the area and initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. At this point, the cause of the fire remains unknown.

Fewtrell said it was a tragic loss and members of the Rural Fire Service felt it deeply. “This is a firefighter making an amazing contribution to his local community keeping people in the Hawkesbury safe,” he said.

“It is something he has done for many years.

“He is a community minded person who was also a member of the RFS as well as his role in FRNSW.

“That speaks volumes about the type of person we have lost today, someone who will be dearly remembered for years to come,” he said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns paid tribute to the firefighter. “To take on a job like this takes true bravery, it’s a debt that we can’t even begin to repay. No family should ever have to hear this news and my thoughts are with them,” he said.

Hundreds of people have taken to social media to offer their condolences to the man’s family and colleagues.

Authorities are urging anyone with information related to this event to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or through the website https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. All information will be treated with strict confidentiality, and the public is reminded not to report details via NSW Police social media pages.