Elderly hoarder rescued from fire at Melbourne housing commission unit

A 72-year-old man has been rescued from his burning housing commission unit in Carlton, in Melbourne's inner-north. 

Metropolitan Fire Brigade crews were called out to the corner of Nicholson and Elgin Streets about 2.40pm after receiving numerous reports of a fire.

They arrived to find the fourth floor heavily engulfed in flames, and plumes of black smoke billowing from the windows.

Lisa Froling, a tenant in the complex, said she was “terrified” when she noticed the smoke.

“I just thought, ‘I have to get my kids out’,” she said.

It is believed the man was sleeping inside at the time.

“He’s very, very lucky to be alive. He wasn’t aware of the danger he was in, so crews had to quickly get him out of the apartment,” MFB commander Rick Gili said.

“He had extensive hoarding – there was virtually no room to move. It was very hard to get to the fire.”

Investigators believe a cigarette butt may have been flicked onto the man’s balcony, which ignited the blaze.

Seven crews attended the blaze, and managed to bring the fire under control in around half an hour.

The man was treated by paramedics at the scene for smoke inhalation.