BY IAN CROUCH
One person has been taken to hospital after fire tore through a home at Fennell Bay overnight.
Newcastle Fire Command says crews were called to the two level home in Hely Avenue just before 2.00am on Tuesday October 28 to find the house up in flames.
A neighbour helped the occupants to safety.
NSW Ambulance says five people were treated for smoke inhalation with one taken to hospital for further treatment.
Around 40 firefighters took more than two hours to extinguish the blaze.
Police have set up a crime scene and will join fire investigators later on Tuesday morning to determine the cause of the fire.
Meanwhile crews have quickly extinguished a fire at an abandoned house at Wallsend early Tuesday morning.
Firefighters arrived at the previously fire damaged home in Lewis Street just before 3.30am to find an external wall on fire.
Crews were hampered by the presence of asbestos and required decontamination once the fire was out.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the blaze.
