Mr Mineall said the premises was registered for 12 boarders, most of whom were unemployed or pensioners aged over 40.
He last visited the property on Thursday and had noticed water damage in the kitchen from the recent downpours.
“Plenty of people have been complaining about [the property]. Mostly about cockroaches and other little problems, and particularly that when it rained the roof leaked, and parts of the roof were falling in.”
Mr Mineall was also worried about a friend of his, a man in his 70s, who lived in one of the rooms.
“I’m so concerned. Part of his mattress was jutting out over his door and for him to get out, he’d have to squeeze out, and with smoke and fire, I’m not sure how possible it would be for him to get out of there,” he said.
Newtown resident Alexia de Lestrange, 29, who lives just a few streets behind the boarding house, said she had “never heard such a loud bang” in her life.
“There was a huge explosion just before 1am,” she said.
“Within two minutes I could see the flames popping up from above the tree, it was very intense. When I called emergency [services], they were already on their way.”
More than a dozen detectives arrived at the boarding house on Tuesday morning and began door-knocking neighbours about 9am.
One woman, who lives nearby and did not wish to be named, said many of the boarders were elderly.
“Those poor people. It’s very sad,” she said.
NSW Police acting superintendent Van Akker said among those injured was a man in his 80s who was in a critical condition.
“It is a very serious and dramatic situation for the occupants,” Mr Akker said. “1am in the morning; no doubt they were asleep and it would have been very traumatic for them.”
NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry told 2GB it was not clear how the fire began.
“It took about two hours to get this fire under control,” he said.
“[Firefighters arriving at the scene] found a very, very intense fire; very intense flames coming out of the first and second levels.”
Mr Dewberry said there was concern the building may collapse as a result of the fire. Surrounding properties were also forced to evacuate their homes due to the instability of the boarding house.
“Being a boarding house we are not too sure who was home, who wasn’t home. That will be part of the investigations through today,” he said.
Greens MP for Newtown Jenny Leong expressed her sympathies towards the family of the deceased on social media.
“Horrible to wake this morning to this tragic news in our local community,” she wrote.
“Please keep clear of the area to allow fire and rescue as well as emergency services to do their job. We are also in touch with Newtown Neighbourhood Centre who we know do critical and compassionate outreach work with those living in boarding houses.”
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‘A disaster waiting to happen’: One dead, three unaccounted for after Newtown fire
Source: Philippines Alive
