By Laura Michell
A quick-thinking Broadmeadows man is being praised by police after alerting neighbours to a house fire in his street.
The 20-year-old was walking home from work on Sunday when he noticed sparks coming from a neighbours house on Freda Street about 2.40am.
Police said the man ensured the 71-year-old occupant was safely out of the house before contacting triple-0.
He then raised the alarm to adjoining neighbours who evacuated their houses as a precaution.
The 71-year-old was taken to hospital for observation after suffering smoke inhalation. No one else was injured.
Hume crime investigation unit’s Detective Senior Constable Matthew Wilson-Hawe said the man’s actions were to be commended.
“Had he not been returning home from work at that time of the morning and not taken the initiative to take out his phone and contact triple-0, it could have been a very different outcome,” he said.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
