BY IAN CROUCH
Firefighters are mopping up after fire tore through a single level villa at Mount Hutton on Tuesday morning.
9 fire trucks and more than 30 firefighters arrived just after 9.15am at the Cowmeadow Road address to find the villa totally involved in fire and the roof starting to collapse.
The sole male occupant self evacuated and was assessed by paramedics at the scene but was not taken to hospital, while a dog was rescued from the rear of the property.
Neighbours on either side were also evacuated due to the intensity of the fire.
Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue NSW says 20 firefighters were called to another house fire in Main Road at Cardiff Heights just after 10.00am to find smoke issuing from the front window of a weatherboard home.
All the occupants managed to self-evacuate, however an elderly woman is in the care of paramedics.
Crews took about 15 minutes to douse the flames which were contained to the front of the home.
The cause of both fires is not known at this stage.
Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman, Stephen Brown said the fires serve as a timely reminder for residents to ensure they have working smoke alarms in their homes.
EARLIER:
Emergency services have been called to a house fire at Mount Hutton.
Newcastle Fire Command says they received 18 triple-zero calls just after 9.15am on Tuesday reporting a villa on Cowmeadow Road well alight.
The roof of the villa has since collapsed.
Six fire trucks and a Duty Commander are at the scene, and the Ladder Platform from Newcastle is on the way.
There's no word yet on whether anyone is inside the villa.
Smoke from the fire can be seen several suburbs away.
