Teamwork saves shops

A QUICK response from Springvale and Noble Park firefighters has saved a row of shops from being engulfed by fire this week.
A blaze broke out at a Springvale Road Vietnamese restaurant at 4pm on Tuesday, just opposite the Springvale CFA station.
Firefighters said the shop was closed and unoccupied at the time.
As they began to fight the fire, staff from the neighbouring chemist ran out to alert them that flames had begun to leap through an adjoining door and into the pharmacy.
Fire officer Jamie McLean and two Springvale firefighters then extinguished the flaming door, saving the chemist.
Firefighters covered drugs and other pharmaceutical goods with tarpaulin to prevent them from being damaged by water or smoke.
Within half an hour the crews had extinguished the restaurant blaze and had used a thermal imaging camera to check for hot spots.
Fire officer McLean said he was proud of his team’s effort to save adjoining buildings.
“If it wasn’t for the quick action of the chemist staff and our CFA fire fighters it could have been much worse,” he said.