Two Sydneysiders are lucky to be alive after fleeing their burning homes overnight.

Emergency services responded to what Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is describing as an "explosion" at a unit in Concord around 2am this morning.

Neighbours reportedly heard loud bangs and windows blowing out.

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A man inside the engulfed three-storey unit risked his life to jump to safety.

"He sustained serious burns, cuts to his head, chest and arms, and pain to the right side of his body," FRNSW said.

He was treated at the scene by an off-duty paramedic before he was taken to hospital in a serious condition.

"The man's neighbours managed to evacuate before the blaze took hold," FRNSW said.

"NSW Police have declared a crime scene at the property and are working with FRNSW's Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) to establish a cause."

It's believed the man may have lit a cigarette near a gas stove that was left on which triggered the explosion.

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Meanwhile in the city's Northern Beaches, an elderly woman is lucky firefighters arrived when they did to rescue her from a burning home in Dee Why.

Firefighters found the 94-year-old woman inside the unit after being called to the blaze.

They escorted her outside to safety before tackling the flames.

The woman suffered minor smoke inhalation and is recovering in hospital.

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The Albanese government is planning to overhaul the country's Fair Work Act to make "pay equality" a specific objective by the end of the year.

The legislative reform would make it easier to order wage increases in low-paid female-dominated industries like aged care and early childhood education.

Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke told Today the changes would ensure the Fair Work Commission takes into account the difference between men's and women's pay when considering rules on the rate of pay.

READ MORE: Justice Department releases redacted Mar-a-Lago search affidavit

Not only would it change how the nation's independent wage umpire would decide on pay, but it would also force employers to be more transparent.

The reform would force companies with more than 250 employees to publicly report their gender pay gap.

"There are also decisions that we can make like at the moment in a lot of jobs, there could be contracts where you're not allowed to tell your other worker what's you're earning," he said.

"It's a really common ploy in workplaces where women are being paid less than men.

"We want to get rid of those clauses."

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Burke said, currently, the pay gap between men and women is 14 per cent which is about $250 a week.

"If you want to get wages moving and we do want to get wages moving and we do want to get wages moving, closing that gap between men and women is really important," he said.

Burke acknowledged there will be some pushback from businesses if the reform is pushed through.

"You need to remember though for every business, if you get wages moving across the country, yes, they're paying more on wages but their customers also have more to spend," he said.

"It's not some sort of zero sum game here."

A man and woman have had a "lucky escape" after a car ploughed into their Melbourne home overnight.

Emergency services were called to Turramurra Drive, Rowville, after a car lost control, flipped and crashed into a home about 10.45pm last night.

A man was asleep in the second-story bedroom when he was startled awake as brick debris smashed through the walls onto his bed, police said.

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A woman, who was downstairs, wasn't injured.

The 55-year-old driver was taken to hospital and returned a breath test result of 0.173, more than three times the legal limit.

Police believe speed was a "factor" in the crash.

The driver, a Rowville man, will be interviewed by police "in relation to reckless conduct endangering life and serious injury".

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Relentless rain has snakes hiding in places closer to home, with experts warning of a spike in surprise encounters ahead of peak breeding season.

Australia's snake season generally hits between September and April as they start to venture out looking for food or a mate, but this can be brought forward if the end of winter and start of spring are unseasonably warm.

Heavy rain caused by a La Nina weather system has also added another layer as snakes attempt to find cover after hibernation in schools, houses or home gutters and pipes.

READ MORE: Tracking device attached to invasive python found inside larger, hungrier snake

"When it's raining they'll try hide from it and unfortunately, this is how they can actually end up inside houses, schools, or businesses, trying to hide from the rain," Snake Hunter Mark Pelly told 9News.com.au.

Pelly has been receiving call outs to relocate snakes from Melbourne homes and properties "much earlier than anticipated".

"They're actually popping up in people's backyards," he said.

"They've been resting all winter, and all of a sudden they're starting to emerge."

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Australia is home to the world's most venomous snakes, with approximately 3000 snake bites occurring each year.

Around 300 of these bites receive antivenom, according to The Australian Reptile Park and on average, one or two bites prove fatal.

Pelly has recently been encountering highly-venomous varieties in the city.

"Mostly Eastern Tiger snakes, which is the fifth most venomous snake in the world and Eastern brown snakes which is the second most deadly snake in the world."

The Australian Reptile Park said a venomous snake bite could destroy blood cells, cause blood clots or excessive bleeding and destroy tissue.

Depending on the species of venomous snake, the bite could kill you within 30 minutes.

Snake safety

The Australian Reptile Park said an increase in sightings is expected from now on and that it is important for people to understand how to keep safe.

"Since we're close to the start of Spring, we'd highly suggest brushing up on snake bite first aid," a spokesperson said.

"Other things you can do around the home is reduce rubbish, timber and other scrap piles in the backyard that would create a great hiding place for a snake."

Pelly also said rubbish was a factor in attracting snakes to cities and the surrounds.

"Snakes are one of the endemic animals in Australia that actually can thrive where humans populate."

"Where you have rubbish you have mice and where you have mice, you have snakes," he said.

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Snakes don't go out of their way to harm humans and most bites occur when people are trying to catch or kill a snake.

Experts recommend that if you come across a snake, do not approach it or try and catch it yourself – call your local snake catcher instead to keep you, your family and the snake safe.

Clearing yards of long grass where snakes can hide is also recommended.

For more information on how to treat a venomous snake bite click here.

Plunge into the ocean twilight zone and you'll encounter an array of weird and wonderful species like nothing else found on earth.