TWO young boys have won the praise of firefighters after raising the alarm in a Hunter Valley house fire that broke out on Wednesday evening.
Firefighters said the brothers managed to protect their parents and save their home after a clothes dryer caught alight in the laundry of their Muswellbrook home about 6.30pm.
Smoke alarms went off in the Jeans Street address, but did little to rouse the boys' father, 29, as he was wearing headphones while playing video games at the time.
The two children, four and nine, evacuated in line with the Fire and Rescue NSW advice they had received at school, making their parents aware of the danger.
The entire family was able to rush outside to safety, with the boys' father opening the laundry door and kicking the burning appliance out of the house.
Muswellbrook and Aberdeen fire crews attended quickly, treating the 29-year-old man for smoke inhalation.
The children also received attention for minor exposure to the smoke that had filled the house.
Firefighters used extraction fans to ventilate the property, extinguishing the dryer.
Muswellbrook Fire and Rescue NSW captain Ian Boyle said the boys had averted a disaster.
They have praised the quick-thinking of the boys who averted a disaster and saved their family's home.
"They realised they needed to alert the adults about the fire breaking out and make their way to safety," Captain Boyle said.
"Without the intervention of those children, that fire would have spread and threatened the lives of everyone.
"These boys are to be congratulated for their actions, they listened to the FRNSW advice at school and have ultimately saved the day."
The exact cause of the ignition in the dryer is yet to be determined, but Fire and Rescue NSW said lint build-up in the appliances is generally a common cause of house fires.
FRNSW advises the public to:
- Clean the lint filter from your clothes dryer after each use;
- Check and maintain smoke alarms once installed;
- Keep any drying clothes or anything flammable at least a metre from the heater;
- Clean and maintain any fireplaces;
- Do not use outdoor heating or cooking equipment inside your home;
- Check electric blankets are safe for use and never go to bed or leave home with your electric blanket on;
- Do not overheat wheat bags in the microwave;
- Do not overload power boards;
- Never leave cooking unattended;
- Always use candles under adult supervision and do not leave them unattended where possible;
- Ensure you have a 'home fire escape plan" and practice it regularly with your family; and
- If a fire does occur, get out, stay out and call Triple Zero (000).
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