Burnt out

By Casey Neill
A FIRE that broke out beneath a century-old fireplace has destroyed an Upwey family’s home.
CFA crews were called to the blaze in Torry Hill Road just after 11am last Thursday, 15 April.
Upwey Fire Brigade lieutenant Cliff Pancutt said it took 11 firefighters about half an hour to control the flames, but crews worked on the site for five hours.
“The house was well alight prior to us being called,” he said.
“There’s not much of the house left standing.”
Mr Pancutt said neighbours told fire crews they had noticed smoke earlier, but put it down to burning off.
“People need to be more vigilant,” he said.
He urged residents to consider the time of day and if it was likely their neighbour would be burning off.
“If we’d been able to get there earlier it could have been a different story,” he said.
Olinda Police Sergeant Tony Haining said a CFA investigator was on the scene shortly after the blaze and determined a 100-year-old fireplace was its starting point.
Sgt Haining said dried out mortar had allowed embers to fall through the fireplace to the bearers below.
The fire then took hold in the home’s wooden floor.
“It was totally ablaze when crews arrived,” he said.
“People need to be aware of old fireplaces. Make sure they’re sound.”
Sgt Haining said one neighbour tried to extinguish the fire after spotting flames but had no water pressure. Another neighbour called the fire brigade.
The home’s occupants, a family of four, were not home when the fire broke out.
Sgt Haining said they had only last week started using the fireplace again as cooler weather returned and had completely extinguished the fire before leaving the house that morning.
“They were absolutely shattered,” he said.
“They were obviously glad no-one was hurt, but their memories and photos were destroyed.”
Friends and neighbours rallied around the family when they arrived at the scene.
Sgt Haining said they had lived there for just four years. They were insured.