Fire rips through home
A TWO- STOREY house has been almost destroyed by fire, leaving a family with nothing.
The fire began about 11.20am yesterday in a Queenslander on Bundock St.
Thankfully, there was no one home at the time.
Neighbours said the dad had gone to the shops, his two daughters were in high school and his wife was in the Philippines, when the fire broke out.
Despite the devastation there was one good outcome.
When she smelt the smoke, neighbour Charlotte Brine raced next door to rescue the family’s dog Buddy.
“I smelt the fire and rushed outside and grabbed the dog to get him to safety,” she said. “I was pretty worried.”
Ms Brine called her mum, who told her to get as far away as possible.
Another neighbour had to be treated for smoke inhalation by Queensland Ambulance Service.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service’s Woodlands fire station officer Mick Quinn said when firefighters arrived at the home, there was smoke and fire coming from both levels.
“We could hear some venting of a barbecue gas cylinder releasing its gas,” he said.
There were 13 firefighters in Bundock St to fight the blaze.
Mr Quinn said the cause was still being investigated.
The downstairs section of the home was a “complete loss” and the top storey was a “partial loss”.
There was no one at home, with the owner arriving as fireys were fighting the blaze.
Mr Quinn said one concern fire- fighters had about yesterday’s fire was no smoke alarms could be heard when they arrived, but they were unsure if there were any installed.
It is unclear if the house was insured.
Traffic diversions were in place as firefighters battled the blaze in breathing apparatuses.
It is the second house fire in Townsville in a week.
A fire completely gutted a home in O’Reilly St, Mundingburra last Tuesday.