Local News: Family loses house to fire
Dec 27, 2010
A Spearwood family lost everything when their house was destroyed by fire last night.
Fourteen fire-fighters battled the blaze at the Balfern Way house which started just after 6pm yesterday when a fault in a roof-mounted air-conditioning unit sparked a fire.
The family was in the house at the time but escaped unharmed.
The house was destroyed at a cost of about $150,000.
Fire-fighters stayed at the house until 10pm dampening hot spots.
Emergency services were kept busy overnight with a second fire at a derelict house in Midland that is being treated as suspicious.
The fire broke out about 3am causing $50,000 worth of damage and fire-fighters from three stations attended the Hooley Road house.
The owner of the Spearwood house said he was too distraught to
speak about the fire as he worked trying to salvage what he could
from the wreckage this morning.
As he carted possessions out of the gutted house, he said the roof was destroyed.
He was at home at the time of the fire.
A neighbour said the flames were up to 5m above the roof. She said people jumped on to a neighbouring roof with a hose in an attempt to douse the flames.
The occupants of the rented house told neighbours they had even
lost Christmas presents.
Neighbours said children who stay at the house on a regular basis
were not at the property at the time of the fire.
Neighbour Lesley Salerno said: "I heard the siren and I thought
that is a bit close and I came out and the flames were billowing
out of the roof. They were pretty high, the smoke was
unbelievable.”
Source: The West Australian