Man under police guard after elderly woman dies in suspicious house fire

A man is under police guard in hospital tonight after a New South Wales grandmother died in a suspicious fire bombing early this morning.

About 12.30am, emergency services responded to reports of an explosion and fire at a house on Rosemount Drive in Raymond Terrace.

Once the blaze was extinguished, firefighters discovered the body, believed to be that of grandmother Jan Garrett.

Neighbours claim they saw the 76-year-old’s live-in carer flee the scene as they tried to break in and pull her free from the flames.

About 1.30am this morning, police also responded to reports a Nissan X-Trail had collided with a truck on the Pacific Highway five kilometres north of Bulahdelah.

Police are waiting to speak with the 69-year-old male driver of the Nissan, who is also believed to be the deceased woman’s carer.

He remains in John Hunter Hospital with serious injuries. The truck driver was uninjured in the crash.

A post mortem will be conducted to formally identify the body and determine the cause of death.