Just done some of my Xmas shopping and bought food for a 10 day tour to the
Snowy Mountains. While sorting through camping gear last night I decided to
sit down and type out a list of what to take on an extended cycle tour for
our club newsletter. After an hour or so I'd finalised the list, rteady to
email it to our club editor. All of a sudden the cat came downstairs into
the basement and climbed into the corner under the bench, like he does when
a thunderstorm hits. Odd I thought, then I heard a faint roaring. Ah, the
cool change has come through. I checked out the back door but the trees are
still. But still that roaring and I hear voices.
I went upstairs and see some bright lights out the side at the front of the
house. Then out the dining room window is a wall of flames, just near our
house!!!
"Oh my god! Fire! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!"
I ran out the front and there's flames from the neighbours' fence, a
brushwood fence, roaring 20 feet, 25 feet into the air. I dashed back
inside. Marg is out of bed. "Ring the fire brigade" She grabs the phone and
runs outside. Screams. "Oh no! Look at the flames! Our house!!"
Marg has the phone but is screaming and stressed out, not talking to anyone!
I grab the phone and say "Fire" then can't hear anything being said because
of the roar of the fire. I move around to the front door then I can hear. I
give our address and details. "A unit is on the way"
OK! Now there are people about. It's only the fence and nearby trees that
are burning, but its heading for the house. Kids are all outside and safe. I
dash down the back to get the hose. Hook it up to the side tap and turn it
on. Damn the connection has come off! Re-fit it. It comes off again. [censored]!.
Fix it properly and start hosing the fence. Neighbours have other hoses
doing the same. Hosing it slows the fire but I can't get at the other side
of the fence, and it keeps on recurring and gaining ground. Keep hosing, the
flames are getting closer to the house. "Someone needs to hose it from the
other side. Where's Brian? (our neighbour, owner of the fence)"
Eventually the flames begin to die down, but the fence is a lost cause. Big
holes appear in it. Sirens wailing, at last the fire brigade is here. Two
units arrive. "What took so long?" says someone. Soon the fire is being
extinguished, then there's all the checking. How did it start? "Oh, it's
kids. Another brushwood fence was burned in a nearby street a few weeks ago"
"Damn those f^&#*g barstards!" I say "It's arson"
After a lot of talking to neighbours who we don't often see, and some we've
never met before, the fire brigade, police and ambulance have all done their
bit. We go inside at 12.30am and try to get some sleep, not too
successfully. I've never been so scared in all my life! The adrenalin kept
pumping for another two hours.
So this morning is just the cleaning up, worst for Brian and Margaret next
door. They've lost a very expensive fence, and lots of lovely garden shrubs
and trees. Luckily no damage to the houses. It would have been much worse if
it had been at 3am, or if the northerly wind had been blowing strongly. What
sort of loser goes about the suburbs doing this to people? They're absolute
c*%#s who have no idea of the terror in staring out your window at 20 feet
of flames roaring towards your house.
So people on aus.bicycle, this Christmas, if you're out cycling at night,
keep your eyes out for any suspicious behaviour near fences or homes. And if
you're going away, make sure your insurance is up to date. If you're at
home, appreciate your neighbours, in a crisis they will come out and help.
With all our neighbours and 4-5 hoses we held the fire while the firies got
here. And despite all the suspense and clamour, the fire crews only took 6
minutes to get here from when they got the call-out. 6 minutes toget into
the truck and cover 6kms is not too bad. But 6 minutes seems like half an
hour when you're hosing a big blaze!
Merry Christmas, look after your family, friends and neighbours.
Cheers
Peter
- just had to get this off my chest.