Firefighters to search house fire scene for missing person
Published: 19 Sep 2025
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews are preparing to search the scene of a devastating house fire, on Sydney’s northern beaches.
At 1am today, FRNSW responded to calls of a house fire in Hilltop Road, with one person unaccounted for.
On arrival, firefighters found the hillside home completely alight, with flames issuing from the roof.
Crews immediately began extinguishing the blaze, however the intensity of the flames and significant structural collapse to the roof, walls and floors made entry impossible.
The home, which is located on an extreme incline, sits on poles.
It took approximately an hour for firefighters to control the fire, with hot spots being extinguished well into the morning.
Operations have been supported by an aerial ladder platform from Manly and Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), or drones which have carried out aerial assessments and searches of the scene.
FRNSW’s specially-trained Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) crews are on scene, preparing to stabilise the home and conduct a search of the property.
FRNSW will work alongside NSW Police to investigate the cause of the fire. Operations are ongoing.
Media Note – FRNSW footage is available here: https://vimeo.com/1119970128/bb2d0b1feb?share=copy [external link]
Updated: 02 Feb 2026 8:04am