A Newport house fire that left one woman dead. 70607 Picture: VANESSA CHIRCOP
By Vanessa Chircop
NEIGHBOURS have been left shocked and grief-stricken by the tragic death of a 59-year-old woman after a house fire in Newport last week.
Firefighters arrived on the scene within four minutes of receiving the first call where they found the top floor of the two storey townhouse fully engulfed by flames. The adjoining units were evacuated.
The large fire took 30 minutes to contain and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus searched the premises as the occupant had not been accounted for.
The victim, the sole occupant of the house and sister of former Bulldogs footballer Peter Foster, was found deceased upstairs.
The townhouse was one of a group of four.
Firefighters were able to stop the spread of fire into adjoining properties by utilising thermal imaging equipment.
Despite an MFB spokesperson not wishing to speculate on the cause of the fire, Star understands it may have been caused by a cigarette.
