House fire probe

By Shaun Inguanzo
FIRE has devastated a Bangholme house and left its owners with a $120,000 damage bill.
Firefighters said the blaze broke out in the bedroom of a Pillars Road weatherboard house on Saturday 19 April at 1pm.
Keysborough Country Fire Authority (CFA) captain Lee Bostock was first to the scene and said fire had already caused great damage to the house.
The captain was also required to call in help from Springvale, Patterson River, Dandenong and Carrum Downs CFA crews to help transport water to the scene.
“As I was getting nearer I saw a lot of smoke and knew there was no fixed water supply nearby,” Capt Bostock said.
“So, if (Keybsorough CFA) had gotten there by ourselves we’d have been sitting there watching it burn even more.”
It took firefighters an hour to extinguish the blaze, he said.
“It was fully involved when we arrived, mostly around the bedroom and loungeroom,” Capt Bostock said.
“Plus, the owners lost their shed and all the saddlery in the shed due to radiant heat from the fire.
“I’d say it was between $15,000 and $20,000 damage there, and a further $100,000 on the house, because it’s only an old weatherboard house.”
An investigation was carried out into the cause of the fire after crews had extinguished the blaze.
Capt Bostock said investigators found the fire had originated from a bedroom mattress, most likely due to an electrical fault or cigarette butt.
Despite the unfortunate outcome, Capt Bostock praised the work of CFA volunteers and full-time staff from Springvale who he said were well coordinated while tackling the blaze and organising the delivery of water from a nearby business.
“The closest water supply on Saturday was four kilometres away,” Capt Bostock said.
“It was a job well done and good teamwork between paid staff and volunteers.”