General News
10 March, 2023
Support for fire victims
Warracknabeal locals and businesses are rallying to support the couple left homeless following a devastating house fire on Sunday morning. Greta Brownhill and Jason Martin escaped relatively unhurt, but lost most of their possessions when the blaze...
Warracknabeal locals and businesses are rallying to support the couple left homeless following a devastating house fire on Sunday morning.
Greta Brownhill and Jason Martin escaped relatively unhurt, but lost most of their possessions when the blaze took hold at their home on 10 Burma Avenue.
Now the Royal Mail Hotel team, and supporting local businesses Home Hardware, Presh and Warrack Butchery, are planning to pass on donations to help the couple.
The hotel will be hosting a meat raffle tonight (Friday), with all proceeds going to Ms Brownhill and Mr Martin, Royal Mail Hotel proprietor Simon Todd said.
Meanwhile, District 17 fire investigators are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, which swiftly spread through the 1950s-style asbestos cement sheet and timber home.
A huge pall of black smoke was rising from the property when Warracknabeal fire fighters were called at 10.18am.
Fire investigator Chris Rosewall said yesterday he and his fellow investigator Ken Peters did not believe the fire to be suspicious, but the cause was still undetermined and further investigation would be required.
“There was a huge fuel load of boxes, gas bottles, spray cans, fuel containers and equipment at the rear of the house blaze at the time, as well as a number of cars alight near the home," Mr Rosewall said.
"This was also fanned by strong winds and compounded by a significant amount of dry grass at the rear of the property,”
Warracknabeal Fire Brigade Captain Cam Whelan said 20 firefighters battled the blaze with three units in attendance.
“At least 50 per cent of the home was engaged with fire when the brigade attended with gas bottles exploding as crews arrived," Captain Whelan said.
"There were two people at home when the brigade arrived at the blaze, which took an hour and half to control.
"Twenty firefighters attended, with six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus required due to the intense heat and asbestos present, and it took a further three hours to ‘black out’ the fire.”
One car at the rear of the property was gutted in the fire and a further two damaged. Investigators said they understood the property was insured.
Ms Brownhill and Mr Martin were treated at hospital for minor smoke inhalation.
Yarriambiack Shire has assisted them with temporary accommodation.