Varsity Lakes house fire: Italian tourist Simona Udenzi wakes from a coma to discover a quarter of her body has been ‘burnt to a crisp’
A woman rescued from a burning house by firefighters has woken up from a coma with severe burns over a quarter of her body.
On July 30, emergency services were called to the Pristine Crescent home in Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast after a “huge bang” set the house on fire.
Three firefighters were sent to battle the blaze, which caused the roof to collapse.
Simona Udenzi, 35, was found inside and rescued by a firefighter who carried her to the front yard.
As the Italian was being transported in an ambulance, neighbors recalled seeing her clothes “burned to a crisp,” Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
The avid Brazilian dancer suffered life-threatening burns to more than 25 percent of her body and was taken to the Royal Brisbane Hospital, where she was placed in an induced coma.
Guillermo Dias, a resident of Broadbeach Waters, has a GoFundMe for his ‘beautiful girlfriend’.
“She has just woken up from her medically induced coma and has a long road to recovery,” he wrote.
Simona Udenzi (pictured), who was staying in a Gold Coast home that was destroyed by fire (right), has woken from a coma to find she has severe burns over a quarter of her body
Three firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze (pictured), which caused the roof to collapse, while Mrs Udenzi was found inside and rescued by a firefighter
He added that his friend will likely need to stay in the hospital for a few months and will require more medical care now and in the future.
As Ms Udenzi’s Australian working holiday visa has now expired, she will have to return to Italy as soon as she is fit enough to travel.
“Simi is a dear friend of mine and has brought so much joy into my life and the lives of all who have encountered her, whether through acting, her Brazilian dance group or her work. She is a light and a beautiful soul,” Mr. Dias wrote.
‘She is so generous, loving, caring and attentive.
‘All donations are very welcome to help Simona with her recovery and for her future in Italy.’
Emergency services were called to Varsity Lakes around 8:30 a.m. on July 30 after a “huge bang” set the house on fire
When the fire brigade arrived, the smoke was so thick that they could barely see two metres ahead of them.
“We discovered the back half of the house was completely engulfed in flames and the roof had collapsed,” firefighter Matt Roser told the ABC.
‘Thanks to the quick action of the fire brigade, they were able to save the life of that person and he was taken to hospital,’
Firefighters are working with police to determine the cause of the fire.