Two people have suffered smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in an office and bedroom dwelling on a rural property in the Hollisdale area of Pappinbarra. Luckily there was no-one inside overnight.
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Firefighters were called to the blaze near the river in Pappinbarra, at 6.30am on Wednesday, November 14. They arrived at 7am.
Bruce Blackburn from Wauchope Rural Fire Service, who was 2017 Rotary Emergency Services Awards Volunteer of the Year, said the structure was collapsing in on itself.
“We are having great difficulty getting into the seat of the fire, because the fire is in between corrugated iron and Besser blocks,” said Mr Blackburn.
“Our crews are trying to extinguish the fire, but it’s still burning in there, even though we have been here for an hour and a half,” he told the Gazette at 8.30am on Wednesday morning.
“It will take at least another two hours, if not longer, to put it out. When the fire started, the two property owners went in to try to save personal items. Unfortunately, they suffered smoke inhalation, and are being treated by ambulance staff here at the scene.”
Fire crews from Wauchope RFS, Fire and Rescue Wauchope, Sancrox RFS, Hollisdale RFS and Beechwood RFS all worked together to stop the flames from spreading.
Mr Blackburn said he didn’t know how the fire started, and that the property owners were really upset.
Mr Blackburn had this message for everyone in our area, whether in towns or in the bush.
“Be vigilant. We don’t know what the fire season is going to do. Everybody needs a fire plan,” he said.
Letitia Fitzpatrick
Worked as a journalist and assistant producer for BBC news and current affairs in the UK, Ulster Television, Q Radio and the Irish News in Northern Ireland. Moved to Australia and joined Fairfax Media in 2016. Won a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship award in 2018 for reporting the Pappinbarra bushfires and the subsequent Rotary appeal which raised $30,000.
Worked as a journalist and assistant producer for BBC news and current affairs in the UK, Ulster Television, Q Radio and the Irish News in Northern Ireland. Moved to Australia and joined Fairfax Media in 2016. Won a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship award in 2018 for reporting the Pappinbarra bushfires and the subsequent Rotary appeal which raised $30,000.
