A rental property has been left partially destroyed after becoming engulfed in flames and thick smoke during a terrifying property inspection.
Eight people were looking around the house in Bent Street, Lindfield on Sydney’s north shore, about 9.30am on Saturday.
But when someone flipped a light switch, the house suddenly burst into flames.
A woman, who did not want to be identified, was with her husband at the time and said parts of the house began to collapse as the fire swept through the property.
Everyone inside ran to safety as quickly as possible as the flames took hold and spread quickly.
A Sydney tenant was left ‘shocked and scared’ after a house in Lindfield caught fire (pictured) when a light switch was turned on.
“When another potential tenant turned on the bathroom lights, there was an explosion,” the woman said. yahoo.
‘The glass of the lamp shattered, sparks flew everywhere and great flames began to emerge from the ceiling.
‘Immediately the roof over the bathroom caught fire and we all ran out. “It was very scary, I’m still in shock, but I’m glad we all came out safe and sound.”
Photos of the house were shared on social media after it was engulfed in flames.
Thick plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the roof of the property whose rent was advertised for $1,250 a week on a property listing.
The woman said she was shocked that the inspection of the property was unsafe.
The fire is believed to have started somewhere near the kitchen and a recently renovated bathroom.
The kitchen (pictured) and bathroom had recently been renovated and the fire is believed to have started between these two areas.
A NSW Fire and Rescue spokesperson told WhatsNew2Day Australia that several fire crews attended the scene to battle the blaze.
“A search of the house confirmed it was empty,” the spokesperson said.
“The fire was extinguished by two hose teams at 10:14 a.m.”
It is understood that a real estate agent from The Marshall Group remained inside in an effort to cut the power, before calling the owner to the property.
The Marshall Group has been contacted for comment.
Social media users suggested the house could have caught fire due to its age.
Others said The situation could have been worse, as a fire could have occurred while someone was living on the property.
“It’s a good thing this happened now, before anyone invested in moving into the house,” one person said.
According to state government data, around 40 per cent of house fires are caused by electrical faults and electrical appliances in New South Wales.
A property condition report should include details on the working condition of electrical connections, including wiring, sockets and switches, to indicate whether they are damaged or not.