Your story (Leader, October 9) states that "Sutherland" fire station responded to this tragic accident that saw two people suffer serious burns when a barbecue gas cylinder exploded.
That is not correct. Thanks to our state government cutting FRNSW's budget, Sutherland station was in fact closed that morning and afternoon.
It was pure luck that another station's crew had been sent to Sutherland to cover while their station was left empty.
This same crew was sent to Kogarah only last week in similar circumstances to a fire inside Kogarah Hospital.
Again, extremely lucky that they had arrived in time to deal with the incident.
The local fire stations are closed often and it's only a matter of time until someone is killed as a result.
Mick Nairn, Sydney South Sub-branch secretary, Fire Brigade Employees Union