'Like opening an oven': NT constable praised for 'heroic' rescue attempt

Mitchell Thomas, 3, died in a house fire in the Alice Springs suburb of Larapinta in 2023, sparked by an electrical fault. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)

Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage has found a house fire that killed Alice Springs toddler Mitchell Thomas in 2023 was caused by electrical arcing igniting degraded insulation.

Despite the tragic result, Judge Armitage singled out Constable First Class Liam Verity's bravery in repeatedly entering the building in a "heroic" effort to save the three-year-old.

The NT Housing Department's Andrew Walder told the coroner all faults identified in a sweeping audit of public housing prompted by the inquest had been rectified, with a further audit now planned.

A "heroic" Northern Territory police officer who risked his own life trying to save a three-year-old boy from a house fire in Alice Springs three years ago will be awarded a Valour Medal for his bravery.

In handing down her findings into the death of Mitchell Thomas today, NT Coroner Elisabeth Armitage singled out Constable First Class Liam Verity's actions in repeatedly entering the burning building in an effort to save the toddler.

Judge Armitage found Mitchell was at home in Larapinta on June 1, 2023 when the fire broke out, sparked by an electrical fault in the building's roof, before passer-by Stephen Greenfield noticed smoke billowing from the eaves.

Despite the 'heroic' efforts of police and emergency services, Mitchell Thomas was found unresponsive in a bedroom and could not be revived. (Supplied: NT Courts)

Mr Greenfield and a neighbour rushed to the house, where they saw the only other occupant, Mitchell's 16-year-old uncle, trapped inside, "pushed up against one of the windows".

"There was security mesh over the window and, in a feat of no doubt adrenaline-fuelled strength, Mr Greenfield managed to pull the entire frame out from its fixings in the wall," Judge Armitage wrote.

The pair's actions allowed the teenager to jump to safety, without which, Judge Armitage said, he "would most likely not have survived the fire".

Judge Armitage said Mitchell's uncle raised the alarm that the three-year-old was still trapped inside, but Mr Greenfield was unable to gain entry before police arrived.

Stephen Greenfield pulled over when he saw smoke billowing from the house and helped save Mitchell's teenage uncle by ripping off a security screen. (Supplied: NT Courts)

Constable Verity's body-worn camera footage then captured the officer smashing a glass door with his police-issue baton and entering the house "with disregard for his own perso