A MAN has fled his North Albury home as flames took hold of the building, with a nearby resident hearing two bangs before the house was engulfed.
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Police are investigating the cause of the blaze, which occurred on Resolution Street early Friday morning.
Nearby resident Leanne, who asked for her last name to be withheld, heard two bangs - like glass breaking - and went to the home.
“By the time I opened the door and walked down the footpath, half the house was on fire, all of the front and the front grass,” she said.
“And it was vicious, really nasty.
“In 10 minutes, the whole house was gone.”
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Leanne said she had been the first person on the scene.
The resident had run out the back door and was shaken.
“He was devastated,” she said.
“He was in shock.
“I saw him get out of the house - it was lucky he could get out the back, there was no way he could get out of the front.
“He was speechless."
The resident had tried to save his late mother's car, which was in a garage.
NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Stewart Alexander said it was unclear how the fire started.
"It was excellent work by firefighters to prevent the fire spreading to the surrounding homes," he said.
"Working smoke alarms save lives.
"They are absolutely important, they will save your life by alerting you to a fire."
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