By Callum Ludwig
A devastating house fire on Healesville-Yarra Glen Rd has left a home in ruins.
CFA crews were paged to the reported fire at 12.56am on Sunday 31 July and arrived within four minutes.
A CFA spokesperson confirmed that 7 CFA vehicles attended the scene.
“The cause of the fire is not suspicious, and the house was severely damaged,” they said.
“Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria also attended the scene.”
Due to the intensity of the fire and the structural collapse of the building, crews from Healesville, Yarra Glen, Coldstream and Badger Creek fire brigades attacked the fire externally, before entering the house.
5th Lieutenant at the Healesville Fire Brigade Cliff Overton said they had been advised the house was alight from end to end.
“We were very pleased to hear that the three occupants were already out of the house and were safe and away from the building. It was a matter of containing the fire to the house and ensuring that we protected anything else on the property because there were a number of sheds with cars and mowers and other things that were at risk, and we were successful,” he said.
“Unfortunately the house was lost, but it was well alight before we got there. All three people living there were asleep and were woken by the fire which was in the lounge room at the time. They got themselves out of the house safely and the fire then spread quickly.”
Bayswater Fire Brigade’s specialist breathing apparatus truck was also called out to help refill the cylinders on the scene.
Mr Overton said about 20 firefighters were there for about four hours.
“By about half past four in the morning, we were comfortable that we had put a stop to the fire, and we did some monitoring throughout the morning. A fire investigator attended on Sunday morning, but we don’t yet know the cause of the fire, other than that it started in the lounge room,” he said.
“The fire would have been quite visible to the Healesville township, so if anyone had decided to walk to the window in the middle of the night, they probably would have seen it. We also put out a message to the community through VicEmergency, which we try to do if there’s a risk from smoke.”
There were no problems at the scene, with a good water supply available and crews from all brigades and agencies cooperated well.
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said paramedics were called to a report of the fire around 1.40am.
“A woman believed to be in her 40s and a man believed to be in his 20s were both taken to Maroondah Hospital in a stable condition for observation,” they said.
Mr Overton said the incident is a reminder of three key important things for fire safety.
“Absolutely make sure you have working smoke alarms in the house, If they’re getting old, replace the smoke alarm, and check those batteries. Check the condition of chimneys or wood heaters, or get someone to come and check it for you if you’re unsure yourself. These things are like getting your car serviced,” he said.
“Finally, and particularly with families, it’s so important that you have a discussion about what would you do if there was a fire in the house and where would you all go, fire plans are an easy thing.”
