RESIDENTS FLEE SERVO FIREBALL
Residents flee huge servo blast
TERRIFIED Drysdale residents have told how they ran from their homes as a giant fireball engulfed the rear of a neighbouring petrol station
The elderly were pulled from their beds and children piled into cars as more than 50 homes were evacuated, while fire crews battled to stop the spread of the flames through burning gas bottles and petrol tankers at Mortimer Petroleum about 12.30am yesterday.
Some locals spent the night sleeping in their cars while others sought refuge at the Springdale Community Centre.
Sylvine Morell lives across from the long-running family petrol station on De Burgh Rd and was looking after other people’s dogs when the animals raised the alarm.
Mrs Morell said she bundled the dogs into her wagon and drove to a nearby picnic area to wait out the fire.
“I came out and that’s when she started booming, and boy, it shook the windows. I look after dogs for people when they go on holidays and the German shepherd and blue heeler cross woke us up,” she said. “The CFA, though, they did a wonderful job, I tell you.
“The big tanks at the back there, if they had’ve gone everything would’ve gonee in this area.”
Nick Villanti’s back yard backs onto the Mortimer site.
Mr Villanti said he fled his home in only his underwear and a jacket as the flames licked at his back fence.
It was times like this that the community spirit of Drysdale really shonene through, he said.
“It was almost in my back yard, we thought it could’ve been North Korea,” he e said.
“I was laying on the couch when I heard it and just grabbed my jacket, I only had my jocks on and went to call for help. “I just had to run down the street.” Heath Binion said he woke his family before evacuating to a relative’s home on the other side of town.
Mr Binion’s son Seth, 11, said he and his cousins feared the flames would engulf nearby homes as debris exploded into the air like fire crackers.
Mr Binion said firefighters knocked on his door and told home to “get out” right away.
“As soon as I woke up and saw what was going on we started getting ready to leave with the four boys,” he said.
Springdale Community Centre coordinator Anne Brackley said many evacuees spent the night at the High St building and were given hot drinks and breakfast before returning to their homes.s.
City of Greater Geelong’s acting director of city services, Peter Godfrey, said the area’s Municipal Emergency Management Plan was activated to provide residents with shelter at Springdale.
Mr Godfrey said about 47 local residents, including several children, plus family pets, attended from 30 of the evacuated homes.
City building inspectors will now work with fire authorities to assess the safety of some houses that might have been damaged in the incident, he said.
“I am firstly very pleased that there doesn’t seem to have been any injuries as a result of this fire,” he said.
“I’m also very pleased to see that the city’s normal emergency management plans fell into place like clockwork and we were able to provide immediate help and support to local families caught up in this incident.
“We will continue to provide every assistance to help get people back safely into their homes as quickly as possible.”