Three people have been killed in a fire that tore through a granny flat in Sydney’s south-west on Wednesday night.

Firefighters discovered the bodies of the people – who investigators believe are the usual occupants of the home – after being called to the Cornelia Street address in Wiley Park about 9.45pm on Wednesday.

First responders encountered a “very challenging scene”, according to Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell, whose entry to the granny flat were slowed by a range of obstacles stacked across the property’s side path and garden.

“A lot of the material in the garden area of the granny flat was on fire as well, because there were flames coming out of all the windows and any opening in the building, and that had spread to the surrounding material,” Fewtrell told Nine on Thursday morning.

“They had to fight their way to get to the front door of the property, and then they had to sort of work their way in from there. So it was a very, very tough time for them.”

Forensic officers have swept the scene overnight, as investigators work to confirm the identities of the people killed. Detectives are expected to continue their investigation at the scene for several hours on Thursday, as they work to understand the origins and circumstances of the fire.

A crime scene has been established by Campsie Police Area Command, ahead of a report being prepared for the coroner.

FRNSW attended 480 residential fires in the first six weeks of winter, and more than 2000 this year.

This included a fatal blaze in Randwick on July 7, when a woman in her late 70s was killed after a fire broke out in an Alison Road apartment. Five days later, another person in their 70s was found dead after a fire broke out in a Wollongong suburb.

Fewtrell has encouraged residents to use the service’s free home fire safety visit program which includes smoke alarm checks.

“Regularly check your smoke alarm, always keep looking when cooking, keep a fire blanket and extinguisher in your kitchen, keep flammable materials a metre from the heater, and don’t overload power board or power points,” he said.

“Always check electric and heated blankets before turning them on, and look for frays, scorch marks, exposed wires or controller damage. If anything looks off, bin it.”

More to come

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