Tag Archives: oceania

Residents warned over Sydney grass fire amid total fire ban

2023-10-29 FreeNews

Dozens of residents in Sydney's south-west have been told to evacuate and more are being warned to monitor conditions as a grass fire burns out of control.

The blaze is burning near Ingleburn and Minto, the RFS said.

While currently not threatening homes, residents are being warned to monitor what is happening between Carnarvon St and Stennett Rd.

"Multiple fire trucks are on scene and there is no threat to property," the RFS said on X.

Resident's Sydney's south-west are being warned to monitor conditions as a grass fire burns out of control. https://twitter.com/NSWRFS/status/1718511722913480852?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Residents in Kosciuszko Place in Bow Bowing have been told to evacuate and crews are trying to prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby rehabilitation centre.

Police are door-knocking other streets to alert residents.

Trains on the T8 line are not running between Ingleburn and Macarthur stations in either direction, Sydney Trains said.

Meanwhile, firefighters tackling dozens of grass and bushfires across NSW are desperately trying to contain them ahead of a "challenging" forecast for tomorrow with temperatures expected to reach into the mid 30s.

On Sunday night there were 88 fires burning, 29 on the Northern Tablelands in the state's north, the RFS said, with a total fire ban issued for much of the state for Monday.

"Challenging conditions are set to return from tomorrow, and so significant work is being done to contain as many of these fires as possible," the RFS said on X, formerly Twitter.

Temperatures of 33C are forecast in Sydney and 36C in the west of the city for Monday.

The fire in Minto is getting close to houses.

Regional areas are also going to heat up.

Lismore is tipped to reach 28C, Grafton 31C, Taree 30C and Maitland in the Hunter 34C.

On the NSW South Coast, Batemans Bay will reach an expected 34C while Katoomba in the NSW Blue Mountains will be 28C.

A total fire ban has been announced for Sydney as well as large swaths of NSW, meaning no fires can be lit in the open.

https://twitter.com/NSWRFS/status/1718485843311255655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

An extreme fire danger is forecast for Greater Sydney Region, Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Southern Ranges, Central Ranges, North Western, Upper Central West Plains and Lower Central West Plains, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Winds up to 45km/h are also expected worsen the conditions.

Meanwhile, a fire near Tenterfield in rural northern NSW has escalated.

Locals near Woodside are being told to 'watch and act'.

"The fire has crossed Woodside Rd and is moving in a north-easterly direction, towards the Bruxner Highway. If you are in the vicinity of Woodside Rd and Frost Rd, Prepare Now," the RFS said on X.

Tenterfield is expecting temperatures up to 27C tomorrow.

Several fires are also escalating in Queensland, after multiple homes were lost on Saturday.

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Friends star Matthew Perry dies aged 54

2023-10-29 FreeNews

Friends star Matthew Perry has died aged 54 at his home in Los Angeles.

The actor was found dead after an apparent drowning in a hot tub on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times, citing law enforcement sources.

The American-Canadian actor is best known for playing fan-favourite Chandler Bing for 10 seasons of the sitcom Friends.

Matthew Perry arrives at the premiere of "The Invention of Lying" in Los Angeles on Sept. 21, 2009.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey told CNN a 911 call came in at 4.07pm (10.07am on Sunday AEDT) for a water rescue emergency.

Humphrey said it was unclear what body of water it was.

LAPD officer Drake Madison would not name the victim, but confirmed that officers responded to a home matching Perry's address at 4.10pm for a death investigation involving a man in his 50s.

US media outlets are reporting Perry had played a two-hour game of pickleball before his death and had sent his assistant out on an errand.

Perry's family have arrived at his home in Bluesail Drive in Pacific Palisades near Malibu on the edge of Los Angeles, the LA Times reports.

His mother Suzanne and her husband, broadcaster Keith Morrison, joined the journalists and LAPD officers on the scene.

Morrison declined to comment, the newspaper said.

Crime scene tape sealed off the home.

One person found ‘seriously injured’ after car leaves road in rural Auckland

2023-10-29 FreeNews

The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

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'No foul play': Emergency services found Matthew Perry dead at Californian home

2023-10-29 FreeNews

Matthew Perry, the beloved actor known best for his starring role in 10 seasons of Friends passed away today, aged 54.

Initially, US media Outlet TMZ broke the news of the actor's passing at his home in Los Angeles, USA.

While initial reports indicated that the actor drowned, the full details of Matthew Perry's final day are still being pieced together.

Matthew Perry arrives at the premiere of "The Invention of Lying" in Los Angeles on Sept. 21, 2009.

The actor was found dead after an apparent drowning in a hot tub on Saturday, October 28, according to the Los Angeles Times, citing law enforcement sources. Some sources said Perry suffered a "cardiac episode" while in the jacuzzi.

There was no sign of foul play.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey told CNN a 911 call came in at 4.07pm local time for a water rescue emergency.

Humphrey said it was unclear what body of water it was.

LAPD officer Drake Madison would not name the victim, but confirmed that officers responded to a home matching Perry's address at 4.10pm for a death investigation involving a man in his 50s.

US media outlets are reporting Perry had played a two-hour game of pickleball before his death and had sent his assistant out on an errand.

The assistant returned to find Perry unresponsive.

An unnamed representative for Perry confirmed the actor's death to NBC, the network that carried Friends for the entirety of its 10-season run.

Representatives for Perry did not return CNN's request for comment.

Struggles away from the spotlight

While the full picture of Perry's passing is still coming to light, the star openly battled addiction to opioid painkillers throughout his life.

Early reports have indicated that drugs were not involved in Perry's passing.

The Emmy-nominated actor published a memoir titled, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, recounting his life and career on November 22, 2022.

The memoir openly discussed his troubles with drug and alcohol dependence, including his addiction during the filming of Friends.

He also revealed that he nearly died at the age of 49 when his colon burst from opioid overuse.

Doctors gave him only a two per cent chance of survival and he was in a coma for two weeks followed by months more in the hospital.

The actor required 14 surgeries to help repair all of the abdominal damage, and he admitted to having gone to rehab 15 times over the years in hopes of kicking his drug addiction.

Perry was candid in recent years about his struggles with addiction, which he battled even at the height of his career.