Four house fires occurred in 10 hours in Orange leading to occupants suffering injuries including smoke inhalation.
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Three of the blazes started with kitchen fires while an empty house was extensively damaged in a fire now under police investigation.
Superintendent Brett Jackson, the Fire & Rescue NSW zone commander for the Central West, urged people to be more careful when cooking.
We've had a few too many in a row.
- Superintendent Brett Jackson, Fire & Rescue NSW, Zone Commander Central West
He said people were being distracted and not monitoring food on stoves which had led to the fires.
The first fire occurred at 4am on Monday when crews were called to a Maxwell Avenue house that was well alight.
Superintendent Jackson said three trucks and a Hazmat unit were at the scene for four hours.
“It was unoccupied at the time, it was empty,” he said.
He said heat from the fire also damaged a car parked next door.
Superintendent Jackson said the house was extensively damaged and police were investigating whether it was deliberately lit.
“Being unoccupied, natural causes will usually be ruled out pretty quickly,” he said.
At 8.30am crews were called to a house fire in Orana Street where an oven caught fire.
Superintendent Jackson said the fire was contained to the stove.
He said at midday crews attended another kitchen fire at a house in Green Lane.
“Two elderly people were transferred to hospital with minor smoke inhalation,” he said.
Superintendent Jackson said the fire damaged the kitchen.
About one hour later crews attended a kitchen fire in Cawana Place.
“Food on the stove had caught fire,” he said.
Superintendent Jackson said the spate of kitchen fires was unusual.
“Absolutely, we usually have a lot of heater fires at this time of year, we’ve had a few too many in a row,” he said.
“People get distracted very quickly and they leave things on the stove.
“Nearly 50 per cent of fires are from the kitchen area.”
He urged residents to never leave cooking unattended and keep clothes and materials at least one metre from your heater.
He said people should also have working smoke alarms installed and a home fire escape plan.