Third-world scene outside Australian housing commission unit causes outrage

A notorious hoarder home repeatedly branded a 'fire waiting to happen' by frustrated neighbours has gone up in flames just days after fresh warnings were allegedly raised with authorities.

The two-storey public housing property in Sydney's inner-west was partially destroyed by fire on Tuesday after years of complaints about mountains of rubbish spilling onto neighbouring properties and public footpaths.

Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the blaze and arson has not been ruled out.

Shocking footage posted by gardener Nathan Stafford, who is known for helping vulnerable Australians clean up neglected homes and yards, shows the home engulfed in flames as firefighters battled the inferno.

His videos, which has since gone viral on TikTok, also show the front yard overflowing with clutter.

Broken furniture, tents, umbrellas, suitcases, electrical cords, bicycles and other household items could be seen piled high around the property and spilling onto surrounding footpaths.

Mr Stafford said he contacted fire authorities last week after becoming convinced the property posed a serious safety risk.

He said he first became aware of the home more than two years ago and had attended the property on several occasions to remove rubbish that had spread beyond its boundaries and onto adjoining land.

What needs to happen here? #nsw #housing #australia

TikTok • nathanslawnsandgarde

'It's not fair that the community must live next to this and cop the abuse,' he said on social media.

'A single lady living in a 2 story apartment with serious mental health and a hoarding issue. What happens at rental inspections? 

'I know personally as a renter I would cop it for dust on the fan.'

Minster for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said Homes NSW has been actively working with this tenant in Glebe since May 2024 with regular inspections undertaken at the property.

'People in public housing deserve to live in dignity, particularly when experiencing complex mental health issues,' she told the Daily Mail.

'But when their actions threaten the health and safety of themselves and of the community, we have a duty to step in.

'We recognise the severity of the situation, which is why the the matter is subject to current orders from the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). 

'However, more recent outreach attempts have been rejected, which makes our job very difficult.'

However, Mr Stafford argued the situation should never have been allowed to reach this point. 

'The same minister walked these streets a few years ago when I called her out and said things were going to get better,' he said.

'Clearly, nothing's happened.

'This stuff should have never been allowed to get to this point and Housing have once again failed miserably to the point.

'Thank God no one was seriously hurt.'

Ms Jackson said hoarding remained one of the most difficult issues facing Homes NSW as the state's largest landlord. 

'There is a strong link between mental health issues and housing insecurity,' she said.

'Our approach is always to work with tenants – sometimes for months or even years – to resolve situations like this because the alternative could mean sending a vulnerable person into homelessness.

'I respect Nathan's passion for these issues and I appreciate when he gets in touch with me.'

Daily Mail Australia understands the apartments are currently uninhabitable and the public housing tenants have been temporarily accommodated elsewhere.

The resident was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance. 

The matter remains under investigation by NSW Police and Fire and Rescue NSW, and the property is currently under the control of emergency services. 

A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesperson said crews responded to reports of a fire in a ground-floor unit on Mitchell Street in Glebe at 4.47pm on Tuesday.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze and the occupant safely self-evacuated. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The spokesperson said Fire and Rescue NSW had attended the same unit several weeks earlier, but the occupant did not allow firefighters to conduct a home fire safety inspection.

Firefighters instead carried out safety visits at neighbouring properties and notified the local council.

'Concerns about hoarding or squalor that present a fire risk should be reported to the relevant local council,' the spokesperson told the Daily Mail.

'FRNSW has no regulatory authority to enforce action relating to hoarding and squalor.'

So far this winter, six people have died in structure fires across NSW. There have been 19 such deaths since the beginning of the year. 

FRNSW has already attended 480 residential fires this winter and 2,025 so far in 2026.