Interstate News: Family escapes Glenwood house fire
Jul 6, 2010
A FAMILY that lost everything in a house fire at Glenwood on Sunday morning are living with a neighbour until they can find a new home.
The four adults in the house on ArborTwenty-Seven Road escaped the fire unharmed after waking to the flames about 6am.
A resident called triple-0 before they all fled the house, which was completely engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived at 6.47am.
Two urban fire crews from Gympie, a rural fire truck from Anderleigh and a rural tanker from Glenwood rushed to the scene but the fire had taken hold and nothing could be done to save the old Queenslander home.
Glenwood Rural Fire Brigade first officer Dick Irwin said the family had no time to save any of their belongings.
“They had to get out very quickly,” he said.
“The owner said by the time they got out it was virtually engulfed in flames.
“The house was in good condition but being an old home with a lot of dry wood, once it was established there wasn't much chance to save it.
“There was nothing the firefighters could really do except to contain it and let it burn itself away.”
An added hazard in the form of five gas cylinders caused some concern for the firefighters.
Gympie firefighter Kyle Dellit said the 45kg cylinders had to be dragged away from the house and hosed down with water so they wouldn't explode.
“Two of the cylinders were venting, which means the gas expands and the release valve lets out a continuous spurt of gas,” he said.
“Before a cylinder explodes the release valve cycles and it lets out a high-pitched whistle – that's when you've got to run.
“But it didn't get to that.
“They were removed and sprayed with water to cool them.”
Investigators have not confirmed the cause of the fire but arson has been ruled out.
Gympie Fire Station officer Clynt Burnham, however, issued a warning to residents to be careful.
“With winter here it's important people don't leave open fires or heaters unattended. And make sure you have a proper, working smoke alarm,” he said.
Source: Fraser Coast Chronicle