Overnight fires prompt smoke alarm safety reminder
Published: 27 May 2026 03:00pm
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is reminding people to ensure they have working smoke alarms following two overnight house fires.
The first blaze broke out in Gordon Street, Mullumbimby, around 2.30am. One person was treated by Ambulance paramedics for suspected burns.
The second fire occurred in a home in Orange Street, Greystanes, just before 6am. Two residents escaped the flames and were treated for smoke inhalation.
The cause of each fire is under investigation, but it appears neither home had a working smoke alarm.
With winter just days away, FRNSW is urging people to “Check Your BLEEPING Smoke Alarm,” a provocatively-named initiative in the lead-up to its Winter Fire Safety campaign.
FRNSW data shows almost half the homes that reported a major fire last winter did not have a working smoke alarm (45 per cent).
The bold winter safety initiative is reminding people to check their smoke alarms while aiming to increase bookings for FRNSW’s free home fire safety visits.
As part of the year-round service, firefighters can visit homes to conduct safety checks, and if required, install new smoke alarms for free - https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/visits
Quotes attributable to FRNSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell: “These house fires are a stark reminder of the importance of having working smoke alarms.
“We can’t smell smoke when we sleep, so the loud bleeping noise of a smoke alarm is crucial to wake us up during a house fire.
“The few seconds it takes to regularly check that smoke alarms are clean and working can be the difference between life and death.”
Updated: 27 May 2026 3:13pm