Terrified backpackers hurled themselves from windows and balconies to escape a fire which erupted at their hostel in the middle of the night at Bondi in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
The blaze began in a foyer bin at Noah's Bondi Beach, on Campbell Parade, around 3.45am (AEDT) on Thursday and quickly filled the building with smoke.
About 150 people were evacuated from the property, with a number jumping from windows or balconies and at least one person suffering minor injuries during the fall.
Four people were taken to hospital, suffering mostly from smoke inhalation.
"A couple of people jumped from windows," a member of staff at the hostel told AAP.
"No-one was injured, there was some people taken away with smoke inhalation but there was nothing serious."
A NSW Fire and Rescue spokesman added: "The building was heavily smoke-logged and a number of people were at windows.
"There was obviously a great deal of concern from the occupants."
The cause of the fire is suspicious and police have launched an investigation.
Shelby Murphy, 20, from Seattle, told Sydney's Daily Telegraph that she jumped from a second-floor balcony to escape the smoke.
Another backpacker, Jack Hardy from England, told the newspaper: "Smoke filled the corridors. You couldn't see the numbers on the doors.
"I woke up to the alarms going off and people banging on our door."
