A five-year-old girl has died in a house fire in Swansea, Australia, and an 87-year-old woman remains in hospital in a serious condition. Emergency services were called to Northcote Avenue at around 1.30pm local time on Thursday 20 August.
The house, which suffered serious fire damage, was occupied by the elderly woman and two five-year-old girls. One of the girls could not be saved, while the other was uninjured.
Police statement on the incident
A New South Wales Police spokesperson said: "Police remain at the scene of a fatal house fire that occurred in Lake Macquarie yesterday afternoon. About 1.30pm (Thursday 20 August 2026), emergency services were called to Northcote Avenue, Swansea, following reports of a fire."
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District arrived to find the house well alight. They were told the property was occupied by the 87-year-old woman and two five-year-old girls. One girl was located during a search and could not be revived; the other was reported uninjured.
Injuries and response
The elderly woman was taken to John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition with burns. A 16-year-old boy who attempted to enter the property was taken to hospital with a leg injury, and a 37-year-old man who forced entry to assist was not injured.
Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters extinguished the fire, and a crime scene has been established. An engineer is assessing the home, and officers will complete a forensic examination on Friday 21 August 2026. A section of Northcote Road remains closed, with police managing local traffic.
