Uphill fire fight

By Paul Pickering
THWARTED by location and circumstance, hills firefighters have told of the futility of an 11-hour operation that could not save an isolated Belgrave South residence.
Belgrave Heights and South fire brigade captain Aaron Carlton recounted the ultimately doomed operation last week, describing it as “the hardest job we’ve ever had”.
Capt Carlton explained that the blaze had already engulfed the residence – perched high above Belgrave-Hallam Road – when his crew was notified about 11.30pm on Friday, 18 May.
While the hill-top inferno was clearly visible to nearby residents, the access point to the property could not be identified because of its concealed driveway.
Neighbour Joe Kerlin later told of his confusion as fire trucks circled the property in search of an avenue of approach.
Capt Carlton said that after finally locating the unmade driveway, his crew discovered that the steep terrain would prohibit fire trucks from ascending to the scene.
With fire engines restricted to the base of the hill, a water tank at the far end of the property could not be utilised in the operation.
Two four-wheel-drive vehicles became the only suitable mode of transport for the six attending crews, forcing the 45-strong contingent of firefighters to construct a 500-metre hose relay from the nearest water hydrant on Belgrave-Hallam Road.
Capt Carlton’s initial concerns about the whereabouts of the sole occupant were allayed by the news that the middle-aged man had left the property in a taxi earlier that night.
Returning to the four-foot high pile of embers in the early hours of the morning, the man’s demeanour was described as “disbelief” by Capt Carlton.
While the residence was only partially constructed, firefighters believe the man was residing in a caravan on the property at the time of the fire.
Fuelled by building materials that were strewn across the site, the blaze reduced the house, caravan and a four-wheel-drive vehicle to a collection of memories and twisted metal.
Capt Carlton said that incessant rain was both a help and a hindrance to fire crews.
“It was lucky that it had rained because it reduced the risk of a scrub fire but the muddy and slippery conditions made access pretty much impossible,” he explained.
After a night-long effort to contain the blaze, the last fire truck left the scene at 10.30am on Saturday.
Reviewing the operation last week, Capt Carlton was keen to praise the attending crews for their response to the trying conditions.
CFA Region 13 investigators later attended the scene in a bid to identify the cause of the fire but no report has been released.
Capt Carlton said the property was not insured.
Geoff Deacon, CFA Region 13’s Community Education coordinator, said the incident was an unfortunate reminder of the potential for house fires during winter. He said that practices such as drying clothes in front of heaters and the use of candles during power outages were particularly dangerous, while the installation of smoke alarms remained the most important preventative measure.