Couple dies in bushfire tragedy
AN elderly couple has died after bushfires swept across northern NSW earlier this week.
Authorities confirmed human remains were found yesterday at the Coongbar property of a 77-year-old man and 69-year-old woman.
The Drake fire destroyed at least eight houses on Tuesday while 21 homes were lost in the neighbouring Busbys Flat fire, the Rural Fire Service said yesterday afternoon.
It is believed the fire that ripped through the small village of Rappville on Tuesday afternoon may have been deliberately lit, with NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott labelling the potential arson a “bastard act”.
NSW Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said there were originally concerns about 19 people unaccounted for, with the deceased couple among those who had been reported missing.
The remaining missing people have since been located.
Richmond Valley mayor Robert Mustow said that the loss of a local timber mill would hurt 30 employees and have a “big impact on our community”.
The Brisbane to Sydney rail line has been cut and won’t be operational again for an estimated five days, he added.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance tweeted that stretches of the rail line had been damaged and the Rappville rail bridge destroyed.
NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says in the absence of any other obvious cause the blaze is being treated as suspicious.
“We’ve got to call it out – it’s a heinous crime, a criminal act,” he said.
Strikeforce Cleander has been formed to investigate the cause of the fire.
NSW Police district commander Supt Toby Lindsay has said the strikeforce “will leave no stone unturned so we can provide answers for the rural communities impacted by this disaster”.
Across the Busbys Flat and Drake fires – which have joined together in recent days – 115,000 hectares has been burned.
Mr Fitzsimmons said 34 bushfires continue to burn across NSW, eight of which remain out of control.
However, all fires are currently at the lower “advice” alert level after a number of emergency warnings were downgraded.