Blaze destroys fisherman’s gear
A NORLANE fisherman was left shattered after a fire in his shed destroyed his lifetime collection of fishing gear.
Ralph Hayden was with friends at his local RSL about 2pm yesterday when he got the call to say his Cobargo Court shed was alight.
Neighbours said they rushed to try and save what they could, pulling “big Ralph’s” boat to safety as flames came out of a roller door.
“We were going to the shops when we saw flames coming out the door and thought it was a bit strange,” bystander Josh Riseley said.
“There was red and black smoke coming out so we started pulling the boat out and screamed for people to come and help.”
Mr Hayden said he had no idea the fire would be so bad after being alerted to the emergency by phone.
“I’m gutted,” he said. “It’s the family home, I’ve been here 63 years and I’ve lost all my fishing gear.”
Corio CFA captain Nick Cullen said gas cylinders and welding fuel posed a risk for firefighters who donned breathing apparatus to extinguish the blaze.
He said fire investigators would probe whether a dryer in the shed was the cause of the fire.
“When we arrived we could hear the cylinders whistling,
which posed a problem because they can (explode),” he said. “It was lucky the fire didn’t spread to the house.”
Marlene Murray praised those who stopped to help her neighbour. “There were people banging on his door saying “get the old fella out, get the old fella out” but luckily he wasn’t in there,” she said.