Fire crews save new house

Shed a total loss but . . .

WHEN fire crews arrived at a rural Kuri Bush blaze on Saturday night, flames leapt 20m high and ammunition was going off inside a large shed engulfed in flames at the remote property.

Brighton volunteer Chief Fire Officer Grant Tapp said crews from six stations were called to the Big Stone Rd fire after 6.30pm.

At the peak of the blaze, nearly 30 firefighters fought back the flames with just one goal in mind: to save the new house that stood several metres away from the 12m by 12m shed that ultimately was a total loss, he said.

One side of the newlybuilt house nearby was singed but with crews at the scene for more than six hours on Saturday, the house was saved.

‘‘We were only here probably five, 10 minutes and the shed just fell over; it was actually going well before we got here,’’ Mr Tapp said from the scene yesterday morning.

‘‘We had to call in for more BA[breathing apparatus] wearers halfway through because our guys were absolutely knackered,’’ he said.

‘‘The main thing . . . we had water problems. We couldn’t keep the water up to the fire. But we knocked it down. Once we got the tankers here is when we sort of got on top of it.

‘‘Just be aware that these rural areas way up the wopwops, it’s going to take us a bit to get there.’’

The shed had motorcycles, bicycles, books and a gun cabinet inside and crews were informed while they were on their way that .22 rounds were going off.

The property owners had recently finished building their house and had just shifted in.

The shed was a total loss, Mr Tapp said.

Fire crew returned to the scene about 9.30am yesterday to continue the cleanup.