SES worker saves vehicle
After-hours heroics puts out car fire
AN off-duty State Emergency Service officer used water from his gym bottle to put out a car fire after a string of vehicles were targeted across Cairns over the weekend.
SES Edmonton team leader Craig Mann-Jones, 50, said he was driving through Bayview Heights on his way home from the gym when he noticed three vehicles parked on the side of the road and recognised one as being reported as stolen.
Mr Mann-Jones said he desperately grabbed for a nearby hose, but it wasn’t long enough so used his water bottle to wet a towel.
The car was one of several torched over the weekend.
“I follow all the social media crime pages and recognised a car so I turned around and called police,” he said.
“Then I saw two cars take off but the third hadn’t.
“When I looked the windows inside were blacked out by smoke.
“I tried to use a garden hose but it wasn’t long enough so I filled my gym water bottle and doused the towel which was alight on the driver’s seat.”
Earlier in the day, Ngaire Shelley had posted a request for Cairns residents to look out for a “white Toyota Camry rego 125RRS stolen from Malaponte Close, Gordonvale”.
“Please keep an eye out. There will be damage to the back passenger side as they took out our letterbox and hit our daughter’s car on the way out.”
Mr Mann-Jones was later able to reply and let Ms Shelley know what he had seen happen.
“Sorry I was not fast enough to prevent more damage ... only had a gym water bottle,” he posted.
“Car has been saved, QFES arrived to make sure no other spot fires.”
Later Ms Shelley posted her thanks.
The incident was one of several Cairns cars torched over the weekend.
On social media several people have reported car fires over the past few days including one at Edge Hill on Monday night and one outside the Mt Sheridan Plaza on Saturday evening.
According to police, as of March 28, 80 vehicles have been stolen in the Cairns area for the month, up from 70 in February.
There have been 280 cars stolen so far in 2023., which is down on last year’s record.
RACQ Insurance reported an 87.5 per cent increase in car theft claims in Cairns for 2021 2022 as the number of claims soared from 80 to 150 from 2020-2021.