Overview

• The fire broke out around 4 am on Irrara Street, prompting six fire trucks and 22 firefighters to battle intense flames that caused a roof collapse and widespread damage
• Crews discovered a body believed to be that of an 80-year-old man after extinguishing the blaze, with formal identification still pending
• Strike Force Leverier has been formed to investigate the suspicious circumstances of the house fire
• Officers are appealing for information on the missing man in his 50s, last seen in Leichhardt and thought to be travelling via public transport through the Inner West, Circular Quay and Watsons Bay
• An elderly female relative who left the home hours before the fire is assisting detectives probing potential foul play