St Albans fatality: Body found after house fire at home in Melbourne’s northwest

One person is dead after a blaze ripped through a St Albans house, in Melbourne’s northwest.

Firefighters headed to the single-storey weatherboard home on Power St following reports of a fire at about 2.40am on Sunday, Victoria Police said.

The body, which is yet to be formally identified, was found inside the home after the fire was extinguished.

A friend and neighbour of the deceased, Ketan Arora said he was at work on a night shift when his sister woke to the smell and heat of the fire and, after calling firefighters, called him to return home.

Mr Arora told 7NEWS that a group of housemates occupied the house.

“There were four mates living in the same house and three of them went out to a party and one of them stayed home,” Mr Arora said.

“I wish he was alive right now, he was a very friendly guy ... he was a very cheerful person, a very happy person.”

Mr Arora said the house was already engulfed in flames when his sister called firefighters. “It was too late,” he said.

Neighbours were forced to flee their homes as 30 firefighters extinguished the blaze within 50 minutes Fire Rescue Victoria said.

A neighbouring three-storey apartment building sustained minor fire damage in what FRV called an “aggressive attack” brought under control before the fire could spread to other nearby properties.

FRV issued a Community Advice warning about smoke in the area, and police are helping some residents find alternative accommodation.

FRV and police will remain at the scene on Sunday.

“A crime scene has been established, and an arson chemist will attend the scene later today,” Victoria Police said.

Investigations are ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.