A Naval veteran narrowly escaped his burning granny flat in Narrabeen late Friday night when what began as odd popping sounds quickly escalated into an big fire that consumed his residence.
Fire and Rescue NSW responded to reports of a blaze on Pittwater Road near Clarke Street shortly before 9:30pm on May 9. Firefighters from the nearby Narrabeen Station arrived to find smoke and flames already rising above the single-level dwelling, prompting immediate calls for backup.
“I was going to bed when I heard popping sounds from my veranda,” said the resident, a man in his 50s. He described grabbing a fire extinguisher, but in the seconds it took to retrieve it, the fire had already grown uncontrollable. Dressed only in underwear, he fled the rapidly burning structure.
Additional crews from Mona Vale, Dee Why, and Forestville stations joined the effort while Northern Beaches Police closed sections of Pittwater Road. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus encountered challenges with water supply, needing to conduct emergency repairs on street hydrants before establishing adequate water flow.
The fire was contained by 10:00pm and fully extinguished by 11:00pm. While the resident escaped without injury and did not require medical treatment beyond blankets provided by NSW Ambulance paramedics, he expressed concern about potentially losing military memorabilia from his Royal Australian Navy service.
Investigators from NSW Police and FRNSW returned to the scene Saturday morning to determine the exact cause of the blaze, which appears to have originated from an outdoor electrical appliance on the veranda. Crews also returned to address concerns about potential airborne asbestos from the older structure.
While the main house on the property was largely saved, the granny flat sustained significant structural damage. Pittwater Road, which operated with a temporary contra flow traffic system during the emergency, fully reopened by 12:15am Saturday.
Published 10-May-2025
