Victoria Police are investigating the cause of a fatal house fire in Mooroopna on Friday morning.
An elderly man died in the fire at Lenne St, Mooroopna while the man’s elderly wife remains in hospital in Shepparton being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Emergency services were called to the scene just after 8am, with CFA crews from Mooroopna arriving within minutes.
District 22 CFA commander Mark Narayan said crews arrived to find the house fully alight.
“What firefighters found was a house which was fully involved and crews used exposure lines to cover that fire catching onto adjoining properties,” he said.
“Crews located an elderly lady who they immediately provided first aid and assistance to alongside Ambulance Victoria.
“Soon after that an elderly male was located in a part of that house and was removed from the house and worked on by fire crews and Ambulance Victoria.”
The man died at the scene.
Crews from Fire Rescue Victoria and Shepparton and Toolamba CFA brigades were also on scene.
Police are investigating the circumstances around the blaze and will prepare a report for the coroner.
Firefighters worked to stop the spread of the blaze to nearby homes, with the roof which had been set alight less than a metre from neighbouring roofs in some instances, and parts of the property falling down as they quenched the blaze.
Mr Narayan said crews used breathing apparatus to fight the fire and isolated gas and electricity lines, but said there “may be asbestos in the roof lining”, with firefighter suits taken away for cleaning.
EARLIER: A person is in a critical condition following a house fire in Mooroopna on Friday morning.
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said an air ambulance helicopter had been dispatched.
District 22 CFA commander Mark Narayan said two people had been injured in the fire at a Lenne St property, one seriously.
He said crews got the call out just after 8am and arrived to find the house fully alight.
Firefighters were able to prevent the fire spreading to neighbouring properties.
Four firefighting crews were on the scene.