A gallant father-of-two who was the “epitome of compassion” who valiantly raced back inside to rescue his elderly mother died in a home fire.
After his home in Blacktown, western Sydney, caught fire at about 5 a.m. on Monday, Ray Barrago, who is in his 60s, managed to flee the inferno but later returned to save his mother Kora, who is in her 80s.
Mr. Barrago and his mother were still inside the single-story home when emergency personnel arrived, soon after it went up in flames.
Firefighters managed to free the duo from the home, but Mr. Barrago unfortunately passed away there and then.
The heartbreaking news was delivered to his mother, who was sent in serious condition to Westmead Hospital.
According to reports, Mr. Barrago was caring for his ailing mother while his girlfriend was abroad taking care of a different member of her family.
The fire awoke nearby residents, who then saw “towering flames” coming through the home’s roof.
They frantically used hoses and fire extinguishers to put out the fire before emergency services arrived.
Firefighters needed two hours to put out the fire because of how fierce it was.
One room was completely destroyed by the fire, while the remainder of the home suffers smoke and water damage.
When Mr. Barrago realized his mother was still inside, he turned around and walked back inside, according to neighbors, Nine News said.
He was recalled as “humble” and the “epitome of compassion” by his “devastated” loved ones.
Michael Morris, Superintendent of Fire and Rescue NSW, described the situation as “extremely challenging circumstances for all of the emergency services and the neighbors.”
According to his colleague Luke Unsworth, who spoke to 2GB, a third person may have also been extricated from the blaze.
“One individual could have been a neighbor.” To save several other individuals, they had broken inside the building. We are still attempting to put the puzzle pieces together,’ he added.
Anyone with knowledge is urged to call police as Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Police both conduct their own investigations into the fire’s origin.