A man who was left fighting for his life after his apartment caught fire has died after succumbing to his injuries.
Emergency services rushed to Angus St in Meadowbank, in Sydney's northwest, about 3.30pm on Monday after flames were seen coming from the apartment complex.
The 45-year-old man was rescued after firefighters found him unconscious in the hallway outside his top-floor apartment.
Footage from the scene showed the man being carried in a large piece of cloth by emergency services before being loaded into an ambulance.
The man suffered severe burns to 80 percent of his body and was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition, where he later died.
A 45-year-old man who was left fighting for his life after his apartment caught fire (pictured) has died after succumbing to his injuries
Firefighters rescued the man after finding him unconscious in the hallway of his top floor apartment and rushed him to hospital (pictured)
Police said the cause of the fire is not yet known, but an investigation has been launched to understand the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Emergency services, including eight fire engines, were called to the scene before the fire was extinguished at 4.20pm.
Fire and Rescue NSW spokesperson Phil Sheedy explained the fire was caused by an explosion and no other apartments were damaged by the blaze.
“The explosion occurred and he obviously managed to get out the front door and collapse,” Mr Sheedy told 9News.
Residents of the apartment complex were evacuated as firefighters tried to contain the fire for nearly an hour.
Hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate the apartment complex (pictured), many reporting the sound of an explosion and “people screaming for help”
A firefighter who suffered chest pain was also taken to Concord Hospital as a precaution.
Resident David Wagner, who lives in the apartment complex across the street, said he saw “the whole thing.”
“It was just an explosion and then black smoke… You could hear people screaming for help,” he told police Daily telegram.
Police have cordoned off a crime scene and are urging anyone with information or who can assist with the investigation into the cause of the fire to contact Ryde Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.