Firefighers believe a cigarette butt on a couch started the blaze.By Melissa Meehan
A NOBLE Park man was woken by his smoke detector on Sunday morning after a fire damaged 80 per cent of his house.
Dandenong and Noble Park CFA responded to the fire at the single storey weatherboard house around 5.40am and found the rear section of the house well alight.
The fire spread from a rear deck area into the house and onto a neighbouring property, setting a fence and car alight in front of the unit.
Dandenong Fire Officer Darryl Owen said the man was lucky to escape the blaze as the fire spread into the roof and caused sections to collapse.
He said damage to the house was valued at $150,000, with up to $20,000 worth of contents lost.
“It took 13 officers and three tankers half an hour to control the fire,” Mr Owen said.
“It was difficult to control – a northerly wind fanned the flames onto adjoining properties.”
He said the occupants of the unit next door that lost their car were also awoken by their smoke detector and escaped the fire.
Fire investigators were examining the cause of the fire but did not believe it to be suspicious.
“It is still under investigation, but it is believed it started with a cigarette butt on a couch,” Mr Owen said.
He said it was a timely reminder to make sure working fire detectors were placed in all homes.
“It’s important that smoke detectors are working and keys are left in deadlocked doors.”
