A rental property has been partially destroyed after it was engulfed in flames and thick smoke during a terrifying property inspection.
Eight people were looking around the home on Bent Street, Lindfield in Sydney’s North Shore, at about 9.30am on Saturday.
But when someone flicked on a light switch, the house suddenly burst into flames.
One woman, who did not want to be named, was with her husband at the time and said parts of the home 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 rapidly spread.
A Sydney renter was left ‘shocked and scared’ after a home in Lindfield caught fire (pictured), when a light switch was turned on
‘When another prospective tenant turned on the lights in the bathroom, there was an explosion,’ the woman told Yahoo.
‘The glass of the lamp shattered, sparks went everywhere and big flames started to come up from the ceiling.
‘Immediately the roof above the bathroom caught fire and we all ran outside. It was very scary, I’m still shocked, I’m just glad we all made it out safely.’
Pictures of the home after it became engulfed in flames were shared on social media.
Thick plumes of smoke could be seen coming out of the roof of the property which was advertised for rent at $1,250 a week in a property listing.
The woman said she was appalled that the property inspection was not safe.
The fire is understood to have started somewhere near the kitchen and a bathroom which was recently renovated.
The kitchen (pictured) and the bathroom had been recently renovated and it is believed the fire started in between these two areas
A spokesman form NSW Fire and Rescue told Daily Mail Australia that multiple fire crews attended the scene to battle the blaze.
‘A search of the house confirmed that the house was vacant,’ the spokesperson said.
‘The fire was extinguished by two crews with hose lines at 10.14am.’
A real estate agent from The Marshall Group is understood to have remained inside in an effort to turn the power off, before they called the owner to the property.
The Marshall Group was contacted for comment.
Social media users suggested the home may have caught fire because its age.
Others said the situation could have been worse, as a fire could have occurred while someone was living in the property.
‘Take it as a positive that it happened now before anyone invested in moving into the house,’ one person said.
About 40 per cent of house fires are caused by electrical faults and electrical appliances in NSW, according to state government data.
A property condition report should include details about the working condition of electrical connections include wiring, sockets, and switches to indicate whether or not they are damaged.
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