Blazes highlight heater danger

FIREFIGHTERS have issued a warning to homeowners about leaving furniture or other flammable material too close to a fire or active heater after two women, and their two babies, escaped a house fire at Mt Lloyd in the Derwent Valley on Sunday.

Firefighters from New Norfolk, Lachlan, Bushy Park and Magra were called to the fire just after 11am on Sunday.

One of the occupants of the house had rung triple-0. Crews arrived to find the house fully engulfed in fire.

The blaze had spread to an adjoining garage and several cars were destroyed. The blaze took about an hour to control.

Two women were able to evacuate the house with two babies before the fire took hold. One woman was treated for smoke inhalation.

Conditions were challenging due to strong, gusty winds, but crews stopped the fire spreading to other outbuildings.

TFS and Tasmania Police investigators attended the scene yesterday morning and determined the fire was caused by a mattress that had been placed too close to a wood heater and ignited.

“This is the second house fire in a week caused by items being left too close to a heater. Unfortunate events like this can be avoided by making sure all flammable items are kept two metres from any type of heater and open fires have a fire screen,” Regional Fire Investigation Officer Andrew Emery said.

The latest fire comes after a shed and several cars at Koonjya were destroyed early last week in a fire which was also caused by flammable materials being placed too close to a heater.

The estimated damage in the Mt Lloyd fire is $400,000.