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Arrests made following house fire in South Grafton

Two people have been arrested amid dramatic scenes following a house fire in South Grafton on New Year’s Day. Shortly before 4am, the occupants of a house in Angophora Way awoke to find smoke filling the residence. Witnesses told police a 28-year-old woman and 26-year-old man passed their two-year-old son out of a window to a bystander, along with several personal possessions before self-evacuating the premises prior to the arrival of emergency services. The occupants were taken to Grafton Base Hospital suffering from shock and smoke inhalation. As officers attached to Coffs/Clarence Police District arrived and made efforts to evacuate neighbours, they were allegedly threatened and abused repeatedly by several people. NSW Fire and Rescue attempts to extinguish the fire were also hampered. A 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, both known to each other, were arrested and taken to Grafton Police Station where the man was charged with wilfully obstruct officer in execution of duty and assault officer in execution of duty. He was granted conditional bail and will appear in Grafton Local Court on January 25. The teenager was charged with hinder/obstruct member of fire brigade in execution of function, possess prohibited drug, resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty and use offensive language in/near public place/school. He was granted conditional bail and will appear in the Grafton Children’s Court on February 12. A crime scene has been established at the house and inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the fire are continuing.