Four people were injured after jumping from a third-storey apartment to escape a fire late last night, while another person was treated for smoke inhalation.
Emergency services responded to multiple triple-zero (000) calls at around 10:30pm after reports of an apartment building on fire at Cooks Hill near Newcastle.
Firefighters rescued one person from the second floor of the building. Four others were forced to jump from the third floor to escape the blaze, all suffering orthopaedic injuries. Authorities have confirmed the injuries are not life-threatening.
Another occupant was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
Fire and Rescue Inspector Andrew Dunkin said while jumping from a third storey may seem extreme, it was the correct decision under the circumstances.
“In this case, it was the safest option available, and the outcome could have been far worse,” Inspector Dunkin said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.