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A man is in a critical condition in hospital, with burns to 80 per cent of his body after his unit caught fire in Sydney's north.
Emergency services were called to a unit in Meadowbank at 3.30pm today after reports of a unit fire.
Police arrived to find a man, in his 40s, unconscious in a hallway suffering serious burns.
He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to the hospital for further treatment.
Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the blaze but it was no easy feat, running hoses up the fire escape to the burning property.
A crime scene has been established as police investigate the cause of the fire.
Residents said they heard an explosion before the unit went up in flames.
Around 50 residents were forced to evacuate.
