One person is dead and six others are injured, including five police officers, after a gas leak in north-west Sydney.
Emergency services responded to reports of a gas leak at the Haveli Indian restaurant on Garfield Road in Riverstone this morning.
A 25-year-old man who was believed to be an employee of the restaurant, was confirmed dead at the scene. Five police officers and two members of the public, believed to be the restaurant’s owner and his son, were taken to Blacktown Hospital in a stable condition.
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Speaking to media, Assistant Police Commissioner Gavin Wood said the man was found on the ground floor of the restaurant by the owner and his son, who had noticed a foul odour.
In their attempts to help the man, the pair and the police officers were exposed to the odour.
“Police were there as a result for a concern for welfare as a result of the owner of the premises,” Wood said.
“The owner and the owner’s son located the 25-year-old male, commenced CPR. Police then responded and commenced CPR. In that process, they became exposed in some respects to the odour.
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Jeff Hogan from NSW Fire and Rescue said firefighters responded at the scene this morning, where they quickly identified irregularities.
“We identified a source of carbon monoxide were at extremely high levels throughout the building,” he said.
“In total our crews worked with NSW Police to remove a number of occupants from both the ground floor and level two of the building.”
Assistant Commissioner Wood said investigations on the cause of the odour were still ongoing.
He said the owner and the owner’s son of the restaurant were shaken up, and praised the work of police officers for putting themselves in a dangerous environment in an attempt to save the man who died.
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”The five police officers who were involved in the CPR and the initial component… were extremely brave, they have all been taken to Blacktown Hospital for treatment for some of the effects from some sort of odour at the premises,” he said.
“They put their own lives at risk, going into the environment, commencing CPR, and they are now themselves subject to medical intervention.”
Police also confirmed six residents living above the restaurant were evacuated, but no injuries were reported.
Warren Kirby, the state member for Riverstone, expressed his condolences to those impacted.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death and hospitalisations in Riverstone following the gas leak at a local restaurant,” he told 9news.com.au in a statement.
“My thoughts are with the family of the person who has died and with everyone affected, including first responders and their loved ones.
“Investigations are underway to establish the source of the gas leak. I have also asked for immediate updates from NSW Health on the status of those hospitalised.”
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