Runaway Bay home gutted by massive blaze
A HUGE fire ripped through a Gold Coast home last night and almost sent neighbouring properties up in flames.
The blaze tore through a house in Deagon St at Runaway Bay just before 7.30pm after neighbours reported hearing loud bangs.
Neighbour Harradyn Wilson, 15, said that when he saw the flames he grabbed his brother and pet dog and left the house.
“Our fence burnt down and next door’s balcony caught alight,” he said.
Dozens of people were at the scene as firefighters, police and paramedics arrived.
Occupants of the building, believed to be a couple and their adult son, who was not there at the time, managed to quickly escape.
Station Officer Michael Brown said the home had been gutted, with much of the rear of the property damaged.
“It took about 30 minutes to get the fire under control,” he said. “There were four pumps and 16 firefighters. A fire investigator will come on Friday.
“There’s heat and structure damage to the front.”
Harradyn said other people tried to help put out the fire by grabbing water from their pool.
“I was pretty scared,” he said. “But everyone got out before it became serious. The flames were really high.”
Harradyn’s mother said the neighbours were lovely people and had been living there for about 25 years.
“It was so fast, so intense,” she said.
Local Brad Taylor said he was driving around looking at Christmas lights when he spotted the fire.