Fire Destroys Maylands House
Jan 18, 2010
The damage bill from a house fire in the Perth suburb of Maylands is estimated at $300,000.
Fire and Emergency Services Authority spokesman Parris Watts says the blaze was accidental.
"By all accounts it seems that it could have been a case of a cigarette left unattended in the front loungeroom while the owner went to bed, he said.
"The chances of saving the building were minimal, the guys threw everything at it they could, risked their lives to save the neighbouring properties but yeah as far as saving the house, the roof was fully involved when we got here."
A witness Jeffrey Carroll says an elderly man who has lived in the property for 40 years was lucky to get out alive,
"I was just putting my bins out and I heard little kids and a mother screaming and then when I looked over at the house I've seen flames just shooting out from underneath the roof," he said.
"Everyone made it out, yeah, there was one old bloke in there yeah and he made it out."
At one point, it also threatened a neighbouring property before firefighters contained the blaze.
The fire caused minor damage to two neighbouring properties.