A major house fire at Swansea Heads in Lake Macquarie has resulted in the death of a child and serious injuries to a woman, with emergency services responding to the incident on Thursday afternoon.

Emergency crews were called to a property on Northcote Avenue, Swansea Heads, at about 1:30pm after reports of a house fire. Multiple fire crews attended the scene as firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control. Reports indicate that around 10 fire trucks and 40 firefighters were involved in the emergency response.

A child was found deceased following the fire. A woman in her 80s suffered serious burns and was taken to hospital for treatment. Other people were also treated following the incident, with reports indicating that three people were initially treated by ambulance paramedics at the scene.

The incident has prompted a significant emergency response in the Swansea Heads area, with firefighters remaining at the property while the blaze was brought under control.

The cause of the fire has not been established in the initial reports, and investigations are expected to determine how the fire started and the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.

House fires can spread rapidly, particularly when flames move through multiple rooms or roof spaces. Emergency authorities continue to remind residents about the importance of working smoke alarms, having an evacuation plan and calling emergency services immediately when a fire is discovered.

The incident is one of the major emergency stories reported in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region today.