A GAS cylinder is at risk of exploding as firefighters work to contain a house fire at Rathmines.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews rushed to the scene on Somersham Avenue near Fishing Point on Monday afternoon to find the home engulfed in flames with an acetylene gas cylinder venting nearby.
Crews are concerned the cylinder could explode and are working from covered positions to extinguish the blaze.
A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman said they received nearly 30 Triple Zero calls about the fire.
"The call came in just after one and it's very rare in a home fire that we get nearly 30 Triple Zero calls - that was a lot," he said.
"On arrival there was lots of smoke issuing from the home which is totally involved in fire.
"We have reports someone was evacuated prior to the firefighters' arrival.
"They are getting to work but there is a significant complication with the involvement of the acetylene gas cylinder - those are used for welding or gas cutting with oxygen, and when they are impacted by fire they become very unstable or volatile."
He said firefighters will continue to fight the blaze from a distance, and once it's out they will continue to cool the cylinder down and monitor its temperature.
About six fire crews are on scene with the hazardous material response team from Newcastle, he said.
"It's not to say it will detonate or explode but there is a chance it could," he said.
"The HAZMAT team are experts in this stuff, they would have a plan in place to manage that complexity, that risk, in addition to others like electricity or structural collapse at a house fire."
It's unknown at this stage what caused the fire.
More to come.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
