Neighbour 'caught baby like a football' from window of burning unit

A Blacktown man who saved a baby girl when she was thrown from the window of a burning unit this morning has said he "caught her like a football".

Kristy Morton and Luke Hayes were woken up by thick black smoke filling their second-floor Blacktown unit this morning, and made a desperate decision to throw baby Nevaeh Rose out the window.

Waiting neighbours caught little Nevaeh, whose name is "heaven" spelled backwards, with a blanket.

One of her rescuers, Tony Finn, has insisted he is not a hero and said "it’s just something anyone would do in that time of crisis".

"We used the blanket to catch her when they chucked her down for us," he said.

"[We] caught her like a football – pretty much just arms out and pulled her back in."

Firefighters were called to the burning residential block on Bruce Street about 7.35am today.

Eight people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and four of those have been taken to Blacktown Hospital.

The Morton-Hayes family have since been put up at the Blacktown Travelodge by the Department of Housing.

They said they have lost "everything" and the fire has damaged their unit, cracking the walls.

Another neighbour, Charlie, remains in hospital after he ran upstairs to try to help people out of the burning unit block.

"He’s the true hero really," Mr Finn said.

Initial inquiries suggest the fire is not suspicious but a full investigation is underway.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.