Man rescued from rubble following explosion in unit block | Lidcombe
Published: 13 Jun 2025 06:30am
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters have rescued a man trapped in the rubble of an apartment complex following an explosion in Lidcombe in Sydney's west this morning.
At approximately 6.30 am this morning, more than 50 firefighters and 16 fire trucks and NSW Police responded to multiple Triple Zero (000) calls an explosion in the three-level complex on Clarence Street.
On arrival, crews found one wall blown out with rubble and significant damage to the second level of the unit block.
Firefighters acted swiftly to stabilise the scene, isolating gas and power and assist with the evacuation of residents in the unit complex.
Crews used gas detectors to assess for ongoing hazards, with no sign of fire activity.
Firefighters searched the unit complex and located one man trapped in rubble on the second floor where the explosion occurred. They rescued the man using a stretcher and handed him over to NSW Ambulance (NSWA) paramedics who later transported him to hospital.
As a precaution, approximately 40 residents from three adjoining unit blocks were evacuated.
Specialist FRNSW Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) technicians remain on scene, using laser monitoring equipment to detect any movement within the building. Engineers are working alongside FRNSW USAR to ensure the site remains stable.
Seven people were assessed by NSWA paramedics, with two transported to hospital.
NSW Police is leading ongoing investigations into the cause of the explosion.
Following engineering assessments, residents are being permitted to return to their accommodation, however the impacted block of six units where the explosion occurred cannot be occupied due to structural integrity.
Media note: Footage from the incident is available here: https://vimeo.com/1092943016/34dd48af92
Updated: 06 Mar 2026 6:23pm